The Rainbow After The Storm
by Rosa17
Summary: Carby. Everything finally comes to a head for Carter, but life's not perfect for Abby either.
1. Default Chapter

AN: First I wish to thank everyone who supported my previous story The Other Side Of Never.

Now for my next attempt at fan fiction, The Rainbow After The Storm **Warning**, there might be a couple of spoilers up to **S10 Ep:** **18**. Also the timeline may not follow the show exactly, you will see what I mean as you read, this is mainly due to the fact that I live in the UK and not sure when the supposed time of year each episode is meant to be/dates future episodes air, in the States, but also to suit my story. Hope that it is not too much angst filled, starts off a bit that way.

The Rainbow After The Storm

By Rosa17

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters etc.

Rating: PG 13

Summary: Everything comes to a head for Carter, but life is not a bed of roses for Abby either. Read as they work through some of the issues that threw them apart last time. Story starts sometime after Carter returns from the Congo again after visiting Kem. (Sorry to mention you know who).

Chapter One

Spring 2004

Abby watched Carter out of the corner of her eye as she entered some details into the computer; he looked tired and drawn as he discussed something with Pratt. She pretended that she didn't care, she pretended that she didn't watch him, stare at him, she pretended that it didn't bother her that he, Carter was in a relationship with someone else so soon after they had split up. But then she was good at pretending; she had learnt that skill at a very young age to protect herself from getting hurt. 

Although when she had received his letter, pretending only worked when others asked how she was doing it did not however help the feelings she had inside. Feelings that never went away despite everything she tried, overtime helped some and that was good because she needed the money. There were times when she lay in bed although exhausted, unable to sleep, while memories of Carter and herself circled around her mind plaguing her about how she should have done things, handled situations differently. Instead of how she did actually handle them. It was no good however dwelling on the past as that was not going to change the situation. She looked up again pausing in her work, her concentration failing, she was tired and had worked twelve hours as a med student Abby Lockhart, followed immediately by eight as Nurse Lockhart with another four to go.

He, Carter she decided, as well as her previous thoughts a few minutes earlier did not look well, for some reason the words broken man came into mind, stress was written all over his face as he now stood talking to Susan with his arms crossed protectively over his chest. Susan, now that was another issue altogether, her best friend had not even told her that she was pregnant, not something you can hide for long and Susan definitely wasn't able to hide it anymore. 

'Penny for them?' Neela said making Abby jump

'What?'

'You're thoughts. It's more of an English expression, 'Penny for them'. You've just spent the last five minutes staring into space'

'Oh, tired' Abby replied as an explanation, thankful that Neela hadn't asked why she had been staring at Carter and Susan or more importantly Carter.

When Abby looked back Carter and Susan had gone. Abby sighed and looked at the clock watching the seconds slip slowly by.

'Abby! Abby!' Carter yelled

'Yeah' Abby replied mentally shaking herself into the present.

'Trauma One, I need a hand'

'Yeah. I'm there' she answered heading off to Trauma one with him, thinking that this was about the only time they spent together these days.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby sighed and rolled over in bed looking at the clock as she did so. It was five minutes after she last looked and she was unable to sleep, her mind still focused on Carter. After she had got home she had had a relaxing bath in which she drifted off and woke when the water was cold and she looked like a shrivelled prune. She then had something to eat and had much against her wishes read up on some medical issues for a couple of hours before going to bed.

It was late after midnight, but she couldn't get Carter off her mind. Just over forty minutes later she found herself pull up in front of his home, where she hadn't been for a long while. She didn't know really why she had come or whether this was going to be another big mistake but she just had to reassure herself that he was okay.

She got out the car and shut the door as quietly as she could there were still a couple of lights coming from the downstairs windows so she hoped that someone was still up. As she knocked on the door she seriously contemplated turning round and heading home, but just then the door opened, surprisingly by Carter himself. Her brain just had enough time to register that the staff had probably retired for the night when he spoke. 

'Abby? What are you doing here? It's after one'

She looked at him, her nerve almost leaving her, but she took a deep breath and said 'I... I ... look I'm sorry maybe this was a bad idea'

'What was a bad idea?' he repeated shaking his head.

'Me. Here. I thought, well I thought at work you seemed, You didn't seem yourself. I wanted to make sure you were okay'

'You didn't want to use the phone?'

'No. I errr well I couldn't sleep thinking about it and well you are obviously up and if you're not busy, do you want to talk? I came here to listen, I know it's a bit out of the blue' she stopped and looked at him, his expression unreadable as he returned her gaze. 'Look I'm sorry, I'm probably the last person you want to talk you'

'No actually, you're the person I want to talk to most' and he ushered her in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Chapter Two

AN: Thank you for reviewing. Please note that this story will not follow the show storyline exactly.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Two

Carter showed Abby into the lounge and signalled with his hand for her to sit, which she did.

'Coffee?' he asked

She nodded biting her bottom lip 'Sounds good'

He headed off to get some, while she perched uncomfortably on the edge of the chair. Realising that this didn't look good she took off her jacket and sat further back. Minutes later he returned with two coffee's and sat down opposite her.

They sat there in silence, and awkward type of silence Abby was frantically searching for the right words to start off a conversation when Carter spoke.

'You're right' he said with difficulty his gaze on the floor

She looked at him but he wouldn't look up. 'John?' she said softly, then when he didn't answer 'What's happened? What's wrong?'

The silence was so heavy it seemed to fill the room like a crushing weight upon them. Abby felt unsure, she was still worried that he would ask her to go home, she sat there nursing her coffee while he kept his eyes on the floor.

When she couldn't stand the tension anymore she added 'Do you want me to go?'

He replied with a shake of his head. Abby started to bite her fingernails waiting for him to say something, anything. 

Abby gently tried again 'Talk to me John?' she urged encouragingly. 'What is it?'

'Everything' he finally muttered, when he started to shake she realised that he was crying.

She was still unsure of the situation; hesitatingly she put the mug of coffee on a side table and sat at his feet. Then she gently put one hand on his shoulder and the floodgates opened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby wasn't quite sure how long they had been sitting there; long enough for her to have pins and needles where she had been sitting on her feet and Carter must have been uncomfortable hunched over for such a long while.

He was quiet now, had been quiet for some minutes, but for some reason she didn't want to break the silence which was still between them, some of the tension had however lifted.

She carefully moved her hand from his shoulder and rubbed his knee comfortingly instead as he sniffed and reached into his pocket for a handkerchief which he proceed to use.

'You want to talk now?' she asked quietly

He nodded although he still hadn't looked up properly. 'I don't know where to start' he said rather croakily.

'The beginning?' she suggested

'It's complicated' he answered

'Ah well complicated is my middle name' she said encouragingly

This finally rewarded her with his intense gaze from his reddened eyes, but there was a glimmer of a smile there and he nodded and she, waited.

'Kem' he started

Abby looked at him wondering how she was going to manage Carter talking about Kem, but knowing that she had to control herself at least until she left Carters home.

'Go on' she said

'She' he sighed 'She's staying out there, she's not coming back'

'Are you going back?' she asked

He replied by shaking his head, he was looking at the ground by this time. 'She doesn't need me' he said bitterly

'You have a fight?'

He shook his head. 'She didn't love me really, she used me to get what she wanted'

'The baby?'

He shook his head again he just couldn't trust himself to speak 'The baby's not mine'

She didn't know what to say, somehow deep down she had known this, but to tell him would not be right. 

'I'm sorry' she finally whispered

'It didn't take her long to get back together with her previous boyfriend' he continued 'She didn't tell me at first, pretended everything was the way it was when she was here in Chicago. Then one day I caught them together'

'I'm really sorry, I understand, you know about finding out like that' she said this time really empathising with how he felt, she had caught Richard once with another woman, in their bed. Off his questioning expression she added 'Richard' as an explanation.

'I've messed up everything here too'

'Messed up. How?' she asked

He rubbed a hand over his face before turning back to her.

'The lawyers keep calling, I keep ignoring them, Dad's calls, other Foundation based call's, various charities calls, my mother. I ignored them all hoping they'd all go away, that I wouldn't have to deal with any of it. I don't want it Abby, none of it'

'It's not going to go away until you deal with it Carter'

He looked directly at her 'I know. When I was in the Congo it all faded into insignificance. It's another world out there Abby, another way of life, so different from this, here. Staying in the Congo helped me to forget what I needed to do, where I needed to be. Being there I didn't have to face reality'

'It's good, that you recognise this'

'I can't stop thinking about everything, all that's happened over the last year. Things I've done, not done'

'I'm sure you touched a lot of lives out there John, saved a lot of lives, but you can do that here too.'

'I don't know if I can do this by myself' he looked down again defeated with himself.

'Why don't you ask Weaver for a couple of days off?'

'I can't keep having time off'

'A couple of days won't make a difference'

'No I guess not, but I prefer to keep working'

Abby sighed, looked at him for a long moment. 'Would you like some help?'

'Pardon?' he asked having reverted to his own thoughts

'Help. If you want, I can help, I don't know how, but..'

'You want to help me?'

She nodded 

'You're busy' he added

'I'm sure I can fit it into my busy schedule'

'Thank you' he said covering his hand with hers.

She let it rest there for a few seconds before saying 'I could really do with a hot coffee now'

'Come to the kitchen, we'll grab one' he replied

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had drunk coffee, sat in the lounge and talked about general things and somehow both drifted off to sleep until Abby woke suddenly. Looking at the clock she noted that it was after five am, she could only have been sleeping for half an hour or so. She shook herself awake, went into the conservatory and found a throw with which she used to cover Carter. She then let herself out of the house as quietly as she could; she drove home to bed for a few hours much needed sleep, as her shift started at noon.


	3. Chapter Three

AN: Thanks for your comments.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Three

The ER was busy as Abby entered it that lunchtime. She felt rather tired but better than she imagined. Last night had been good, worthwhile, productive but she had found it all exhausting emotionally. She walked into the lounge to prepare for her shift. There she came across Susan who was, Abby noted crying. Abby tipped her head up to the ceiling to summon the strength to help Susan and back down again before she moved over to where her friend sat at the table. 

Pulling out a chair Abby sat down next to Susan.

'What's wrong?' she asked putting her hand on Susan's arm

Susan sniffed and looked up. 'Hey' she said 'Hormones probably' 

Abby looked at her not entirely convinced, Susan seeing this said 'Oh okay. I had a fight with Chuck'

'Just now?' Abby asked

'Yeah, he came in with a patient. You know Abby, I just don't think it's going to work. Me and Chuck. We should have left it at that when we got the annulment'

Abby sighed and sat up straight in the chair. 'Oh, that bad?'

Susan looked at her and nodded.

'You know I would come and cheer you up later, but I'm on tonight 'til midnight, tomorrow evening?' Abby suggested 'I could make it after eight'

'I thought you got off a six tomorrow?'

'I do, but I need to go to a meeting.' 

Susan looked at blankly.

'AA'

'Oh right, sure'

'Are you two here to work or spend the day gossiping' Weaver snapped coming into the lounge, assessing the situation before her she added 'Now Abby'

Susan looked apologetically at Abby who rose from the table to start her shift.

'Susan' said Weaver after Abby had changed and left 'Everything alright, not finding work too much'

'Oh no. I'm just having a bad day'

'Remember to come and talk to me if you need to' she said before heading out with her coffee.

'Great' said Susan propping her head up with the palm of her hand as she continued her break.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby was glad that her shift was coming to an end, it had been manic as usual and she had a med student shift to look forward to the next day. She realised thinking about it that she would only get a few hours sleep, as she had to be in at six am tomorrow.

'Abby?' asked Yosh

'Yeah'

'Have you seen where Jerry put the nurses schedules for next week?'

'No, but that's only because I'm know I'm not pulling any nurse shifts next week, try under that pile of stuff' she pointed to a pile of work Jerry had been dealing with before he had mysteriously disappeared.

'Hey Abby'

'Carter, what can I do for you? Please don't say a trauma's coming in I want to go home to sleep I'm back at six' Abby said turning round to see him.

'Errr no, no trauma, can I have a word, I wanted to catch you before.... It's been busy'

'Tell me about it' she replied as they walked down the corridor together and came to a stop beside some medical supplies waiting to be stored.

He looked at the ground finding his feet extremely interesting.

'Carter?' she prompted, thinking that at least he looked a bit better than he had done yesterday, not quite so drawn, but it was still there.

He looked up 'You left?'

She shook her head questioningly.

''Last night, this morning?'

'You were sleeping, I went home to catch up on some sleep, you look like you managed some too'

'Ten hours'

'On that sofa?'

'Yeah, my back's been telling me about that since'

They grinned. 

'Thank you' he said putting a hand on her shoulder as she prepared to move away.

''You're welcome' she replied

'Abby?'

'What?'

'You mean it? About helping?'

She nodded

'Will you come with me to the lawyer?'

'When?'

'Soon? Tomorrow?'

'No can do. Day after I'm off after three pm?'

'Ah working, the day after the day after?'

'Okay, it's my rest day pick a time, not too early though'

'Great I'll call you, if I don't catch up with you here'

It was a bit awkward for a moment and Abby finally said 'I just have to go to give Pratt's patient in one another IV' and she headed off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Susan was wondering where Abby had got to, it was way after eight. When suddenly the door bell rang.

'I thought you'd forgotten and had a hot date or something'

Abby frowned at her friend and produced a small bunch of flowers, 'To cheer you up' she explained 'And healthier than chocolate'

'Oh Abby you know eating flowers is not my thing' off Abby's exasperated look Susan added 'just teasing, they're great, thank you, so what kept you'

'Carter'

'You had a hot date with Carter?' Susan said still in a teasing tone.

'No, I had to talk to him briefly about something'

'Oh, what?' Susan said pressing for gossip

'Confidential'

'Really, I thought you were going to tell me something interesting'

'He needed my advice'

'Wow he asked you for advice he must have been desperate' 

As Abby frowned again Susan said 'Kidding, you're great at advice'

Abby made a non-committal sound and headed into the lounge and sat down.

'You seem happier today?' Abby said to Susan

'It's my day off, I'm not stuck in the hell hole we call work'

'What's up?' Abby asked deciding that she seemed like an agony aunt recently and maybe she should take that up as a third job, the money would certainly be handy.

'I told you, Chuck, or me and Chuck, he called round yesterday'

'And?'

'Tried to sort out things'

'Successfully?' 

Susan sighed 'Oh I don't know; I just stalled him at bit. He wants to get married again, but I don't know. It's not something I really want'

'You're happy for him to be part of the baby's life?'

'Oh yeah'

'That's good' Abby replied thinking about Carter and his problems.

'Coffee?' Susan asked

'Sure, want me to make it?'

'I'm pregnant not sick'

'Sorry'

'Have you eaten?'

'No. Have you?'

'No, I thought we could order Chinese or something'

'Chinese?'

'Yeah can't stop eating the stuff'

'Sounds good'

'What you want?'

'Whatever you're having's fine' Abby answered, too tired to really care.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Susan bustled about the kitchen for a bit and then ordered the food. They both enjoyed a girly night in, Susan was an outstanding source of gossip, Abby wondered when Susan managed to fit working in as she hadn't heard half of it. It was getting late and Susan had just paid another visit to the bathroom on her return she came upon Abby who exhausted from the events of the last few days, had fallen asleep on the couch.

'And here was I about to offer to call you a cab' Susan said quietly, finding something to cover her friend, whom she didn't have, the heart to wake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Chapter Four

AN: Thank you for reviewing. Don't get too alarmed at Carter's behaviour, and don't yell at me that it's out of character for him, just go with the flow of the story. 

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Four

Abby rang the door bell and waited, no one answered so she rang again. A man answered the door, the butler, a butler did Carter have a butler? Did people actually have butlers these days? These were some of the thoughts running through her mind as she studied the oldish man before her.

'Abby Lockhart' she said introducing herself 'I'm here to see Car.. John' she corrected herself quickly

'I've been expecting you' he replied 'In fact I hope that you can help me with him, he's got himself into a right state'

Abby regarded the man returning his gaze with a worried expression on her face, wondering what the hell had Carter been up to now. They entered the room, which Abby had been in with Carter when she had visited a few days earlier.

'Your friend Abby is here' the man said into the darkened room.

Abby looked into the bleakness and after a moment or two she noticed Carter slumped in a chair and she approached him. It was then that she realised the situation. On the table next to the chair sat five empty beer bottles.

'You're drunk!' she said disbelievingly

'You'd know all about that' he retorted

'Oh God' she thought 'He's in a worse condition than I anticipated'

'Well' she said 'If it only took five bottles to get you into this state, you still can't be used to drinking, when did you start drinking Carter?'

'Africa'

'Oh' she replied surprised, then turning to the man she said 'Glad I got here early, can you make some coffee? I've got to sober him up, oh and where's the bathroom he's got to have a shower or something'

'Dr Carter's rooms are up the stairs third door on the right'

'Thank you'

'Do you need a hand getting him up there?'

Abby looked at the man and then replied 'No, no, it's okay I can manage'

'I don't want to go' Carter said to Abby

'I didn't come all the way here on my day off for you to tell me that' she said 'Besides you still need sobering up and I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're okay'

'You're bossy today' he said looking her up and down.

She walked up to him and took his hands pulling him to a standing position.

'You know' he continued 'There's one left in the fridge, you could have it'

She raised her eyebrows at him ' Now I know you're really drunk. I don't drink' She put one arm behind him and walked with him to the stairs

'Ha!' he said

'Not any more' she clarified

'Hmmm' he muttered giving her a sideways glance.

'Lift your feet, properly'

'I am' he said and they started going up the stairs. 

He was quiet for a moment or two then said 'Are you sure you don't want that drink, it's free and...'

'Stop it Carter' she said crossly 'I told you I don't drink anymore'

'Since when?'

'Three hundred and forty one days ago, and counting'

He stopped moving they were about halfway up the staircase. 'Nearly a year' he said stating the obvious.

'I see you can count when you're drunk' she commented

'I don't know, I can't remember being drunk before'

'Let's just get on with this' she said as they climbed the stairs again.

When they reached the bedroom she sat him on the edge of the bed and went into the bathroom to start the shower, before coming back to take off his trainers and socks. 

'Shirt' she said and he lifted his arms obligingly and she took it off.

'You can do the rest yourself' she told him

'What?'

'Your sweatpants and underwear, you can take them off yourself'

He sat there not moving just looking at her.

''The shower's on' she added, pulling him up to stand again and going over towards the closet.

He followed her with his eyes as she moved around the room and then while she was looking at him, he, in one fluid movement despite his intoxication, pulled down his remaining clothes. She quickly averted her eyes, thinking that Carter's bare body was not something that she should be looking at right now. Seeing this his grinned to himself and after faltering slightly as the clothes were still around his ankles he stumbled into the shower. 

Carter spent a long time in the shower, she was just contemplating knocking and asking if he was alright when he came out of the bathroom with a towel fastened around his waist. Abby was pouring some coffee. She turned and passed him a cup, he looked slightly unsteady and she sat him back down on the bed.

'Better?' she asked

'Slightly, what's that?' he indicated with a slight jerk of his head and then suddenly wishing he hadn't.

'It's a suit, I didn't think you were up to choosing one'

'I like that suit' he said 'And that's my favourite tie'

'Good' she said trying to hide a smile 'Drink the coffee, if you don't want that you can drink water'

He gave her a grimacing look at the thought of water and drank the coffee.

'Do you need me to help you dress?'

He replied by giving her a suggestive look and she frowned at him, pouring him another coffee. Looking at him with a do you want help or not expression on her face.

'Yes' he answered after drinking the second coffee, standing up and dropping the towel.

At this she raised her eyes to the ceiling before looking him in the eye. 

'And your clean underwear is?'

'Over there, top drawer'

'Any preference?'

'No'

She passed him a pair of boxers and seeing him struggle to balance on one leg she went back to his side and helped him. A couple of coffees and a bit of swearing later (by both of them) he was ready and made it down the stairs holding on to the rail as he descended.

'Keys?' said Abby holding out her hand

'What?'

'Car keys, you, are not, driving'

'What about your car? Didn't you drive here?'

'Wouldn't start, I took a cab'

'Your car was okay the other night'

'It's temperamental'

'Oh' and he picked up his keys from a dish on the sideboard in the entrance hall and gave them to her.

'You need to take anything else with you?'

'No, you could go instead of me'

'That wouldn't work' she told him

'Suppose not'

'Sooner we go, sooner we're back and you can sleep'

'Mmmm' he said nodding which made his head spin, he vowed to himself never to drink again. 'No loud music though'

'It's a deal' she answered

* * *

Things went more smoothly after that they arrived at the lawyers with a couple of minutes to spare and she offered him some encouraging words. The whole thing was not as bad as he had feared and he told Abby that that next time he could cope with going on his own. He offered to take her home, but she didn't think that was a good idea, for him to be driving. So when they arrived back at Carter's she made sure that he was okay and the staff told her they would watch out for him more vigilantly. She made them promise to call her if they were worried. When he was sleeping she called a cab and left, she had a mountainous list of things that she had to get done before working the following day.

* * *

'Have a relaxing day off yesterday?' Susan asked catching up with Abby at the admit desk the following morning.

'Not really' she replied

'Want to talk about it?'

'No. How are you feeling? Chuck? The baby?'

'Oh okay I haven't seen Chuck, I feel really tired all the time' she said looking down indicating the baby inside her expanding belly.

Abby gave her friend a sympathetic look.

'Abby' said Randi 'Your Mom's on line one'

'I'll take it in the lounge' she replied heading there and picking up the phone handset. 'Mom?'

'Abby' said Maggie her voice anxious

'What's up?'

'Have you heard from Eric?'

'No. Not for a couple of months, I thought you saw him pretty much everyday'

'Yes, he's disappeared again Abby'

'Then we wait'

'Abby, I'm his mother I just can wait'

'Well I told you before and I tell you again, that's what we do, wait. How long has it been?'

'A few days'

'Did he go flying?'

'No he sold it airplane and bought another bike'

'Oh'

'Abby?'

'Look there's nothing I can do, I've got to head back to work'

'Oh okay, call me if he rings you'

'I will, bye'

Abby put the phone down and let out a long drawn sigh, covering her hands with her face, thinking about Carter, Susan, Maggie and Eric and wondering why her life was so complicated.

* * *

Meanwhile Carter turned up for his shift and walked up to the desk where he saw Susan sitting writing up a chart.

'Morning' he said 'Seen Abby?'

'Yeah she's taking a call in the Lounge'

'Thanks' he replied heading that way and literally bumping into Abby as she vacated the room.

'Hey' she said 'Feeling better?'

He nodded 'Can I have a word?'

'Sure' and she walked back the way she had come. 

She stood in the Lounge as he went to his locker.

'I wanted to say sorry and thank you'

'Sorry and thank you?' she said

'Thank you, for what you did and sorry about how I was, did I say anything I shouldn't have?'

'You don't remember?'

'Not much before we arrived at the appointment, but after that everything I think'

'Oh'

'I did say something didn't I?'

'Not really'

He looked at her raising his eyebrows, asking her if she was being honest with him.

'No. Really, you weren't too bad. You did offer me a beer'

'I did? God, I'm so sorry. That was the first and last time I'm ever getting drunk. In Africa, I just had the odd beer' he added feeling the need to explain.

She smiled 'In case you don't remember I said that I've been sober three hundred and forty one days, well forty two today'

He returned her smile. 'You're right I don't remember that bit'

'Or the bit where you stripped off in front of me?' she said in a teasing manner as she walked to out of the door.

He stood there alone, wondering if she was serious or just kidding. He hurried to catch her up, and found picking a chart from the rack.

'You're joking right?' he said 

'What?' she asked

'The last thing you said, it was a joke, right?' waiting for her to say it was.

'No' she replied walking away

He stood looking for a while at her, still not entirely convinced and wondering what else happened that he didn't recall.

* * *


	5. Chapter Five

AN: Thank you for reviewing, the last chapter.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Five

A few weeks later

'Hey, I need a doctor' shouted Malik, seeing Abby he asked 'Are you a doctor yet?' 

'Not yet, ask me again in a couple of days. Jing-Mei is in one' she replied 

'Besides I'm dressed as a nurse today'

'Oh yeah' he said hurrying off to find Chen

'What?' said Abby to Frank who was staring at her

'Let's hope the next two days fly by, then we can stop being confused over what to call you, some days you're a nurse, some a med student I can't keep up'

'Oh right' she replied walking off to exam two, she had more important things to worry about.

As soon as she finished her shift she was off to see Susan then she had to go to some sort of charity function thing with Carter. When she had agreed to see them both she didn't realise it would be the same day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hi' said Abby to Susan as she arrived at her apartment.

She followed Susan who waddled to the lounge area and they sat down.

'You okay?' Abby asked

'Yeah' said Susan 'Quit looking at me like that'

'Like what?'

'Like I'm about to explode or something, I know I'm getting really big'

'It's not that'

'What is it?'

'I'm just showing friendly concern. Chuck came into work today, asked about you'

'Oh hell, what did you tell him?'

'That you weren't in today'

'Oh' Susan shook her head slightly and added 'He didn't ask you, you know if I had said anything about getting married?'

'No, it was hectic and he was bringing a trauma in'

Susan nodded in response.

'He did say something about trying to catch you if you were in tomorrow'

'What did you say?'

'I said I didn't know your schedule' off Susan's questioning look she continued 'and that was it, when I left trauma he'd gone. You've decided then?'

'About getting married?'

'Yeah'

'Yeah. I'm not, getting married that is, not to Chuck anyway' then smiling she added 'Not with anyone actually. What? You think that's wrong'

Abby looked at her friend 'No, you shouldn't get married just because you feel you have to, you should want to, feel happy about it. I'm not the greatest person to ask for advice on the subject'

'Aha but you've been married'

'Exactly and that was for the wrong reasons. I guess I thought I loved him at the time, but deep down I know it was to get away from Maggie. Looked what happened, I think he's happy now, with his little family. I didn't know he even wanted children, I guess I never really knew Richard at all'

'Abby?' Susan asked after a few moments of silence.

'Yep'

'Can I ask you a favour? Say no if you don't want to'

'Tell me then I can decide'

'Okay Abby will you be my birth partner? Come to a couple of antenatal classes with me, some moral support in the delivery room, that kind of thing?'

Abby smiled 'You sure you want me to do that?'

'Positive'

'Sure, I can do that' she said smiling

'Thanks, I feel a lot better' Susan replied relieved she wouldn't have to go through childbirth alone. But with a friend, a good friend who knew what she was about in the OB.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Here, you tie's not straight' Abby said to Carter as he stood on the threshold of her apartment and she fiddled with it a bit.

'Same dress' he said to her as they made their way out of the building.

'What?'

'Same dress as last time'

'Think yourself lucky I could have worn the bridesmaid dress again, at least this is black and stylish and...'

'Okay I get the picture' he opened the door for her and she climbed in.

'No limo?' she asked sitting in his old familiar jeep

'I'm thinking of selling them' he answered

'Really?'

'They hardly ever get used'

'I know but selling them'

'I don't need them Abby'

'Maybe your Mom or Dad would like to keep them'

'It's not their decision'

Noticing the tension that was filling the small space of the car and also Carter's expression Abby decided to keep quiet on the subject. They arrived and were soon in a large function room with lots of guests milling around and socialising with each other.

Carter looked nervous and Abby saw that he was fiddling with his tie, when he saw that she was staring at him he said. 'It's choking me'

'It's fine, just take deep breaths' she whispered back

He gave her a sideways glance and suddenly an elderly couple approached and greeted him.

'John' the woman said 'It's been a long time'

Carter could feel the sweat trickle down his back, he wanted to turn and run, suddenly he felt the support and warmth of Abby's hand curl around his damp and clammy one and he found the courage to speak. 

'Mr and Mrs Liesching' he said acknowledging them both.

'Good to see you son' said Mr Liesching 'And?'

'Abby Lockhart' said Abby introducing herself

'Pleased to meet you' he replied

'Oh' said Mrs Liesching to her husband 'there's Ann Tomlin, please excuse us,' and they headed off.

Abby felt Carter breathe a sigh of relief, but he didn't let go of her hand, in fact he squeezed it tighter. 

'You're doing great' she said encouragingly 'We can leave after you've presented the cheque'

'Good' he replied not trusting himself to say any more.

Some how he managed to let go of Abby's hand while he went to the platform to present the cheque, an annual event his Grandmother used to perform and gave a small speech. All he could focus on was making his way back to Abby's side. After several more people had greeted them, they managed to leave. Abby offered to drive and he was too mentally exhausted to argue. They travelled in silence; some time later she pulled up at her apartment building. She turned the ignition off and they sat the quietly.

'Coffee?' she finally offered.

He looked at her and nodded as a reply. He sat on the sofa and watched her move around the kitchen, making the drinks. Neither of them spoke lost in their own private thoughts. He hadn't been here for so long, yet the room looked the same. That was probably the only thing that hadn't altered for everything else had. She finally came and sat next to him and handed him a drink.

He took a deep breath and said 'Thanks'

'You're welcome' she replied

It seemed as though neither of them wanted to talk.

Finally she said 'You okay? You did good'

He offered her half a smile and took a sip of the scalding liquid.

'I always hated going to that sort of thing, it was just harder this time'

She looked at him willing him to continue.

'You know, my Grandmother would present that cheque every year' he added chokingly, trying to control himself.

She sat there, again unsure whether to touch him.

'You should be pleased with yourself, I don't think anyone else picked up on your nerves'

'You did'

She shrugged 'That's just me'

'I'm glad you were there'

'I promised to help remember?'

He looked at her and nodded, when suddenly the telephone rang.

'I'd better get it, it might be work, short of nurses as usual, said I'd be home after midnight'

She chose to go into the bedroom to take the call and he looked at the clock, not believing that it was that late, but sure enough the hands read twelve twenty. He sat there nursing his coffee thinking through the last few hours, reliving them in his mind when suddenly Abby's voice became raised and he brought himself back to the present, hearing Abby smash the phone down.

She came back into the room a few moments later looking rather stressed.

'Everything okay?' he asked concerned

She sighed not feeling that he could cope with her problems at the moment as well as his own.

'Fine'

He continued to look at her.

'Maggie' she explained 'We had a bit of a fight'

He accepted her explanation.

'I'd better get going, I'm working tomorrow' he said

'Sure' she replied

She walked him to the door, he smiled at her.

'See you tomorrow' he said as he left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The ER was slammed, all day. It was one thing after another everyone was rushed off their feet. Carter left late afternoon looking exhausted Abby thought, Susan had arrived just before looking tired before her shift had even started.

Abby left at six and headed off to a meeting, she had the letter unopened in her pocket, people had been too busy to ask how she had done and she had been too busy to open it. By the end of her shift she was on her fifth pair of scrubs, every kind of body fluid had covered her at least once.

She finally got home about eight, had a shower then fixed some dinner and then sat down with the envelope on the table before her. After turning it around in her hand several times, she opened it, read it and smiled.

The phone rang, sighing she went to answer it.

'Hi' she said

'Abby, Abby' Maggie was frantic again, Abby hoped that she was still on her meds.

'Has he turned up?' she asked

'No, I got a letter'

'He sent you a letter?'

'It's dated a few weeks ago, when he first left, but the post mark was two days ago'

'Where was he?'

'Liberty, Missouri, we have to go there'

'No'

'Abby what do you mean no?'

'No, we wait 'til he shows'

'I can't wait 'til then Abby, he's my son'

'We've had this discussion before' Abby sighed she was tired and this was the last thing that she wanted to deal with right now.

'Oh Abby, you always say that, but I need you to come with me'

'I'm not going anywhere, I can't afford to take any time off'

'Just a few days'

'No'

And so the conversation went on for another twenty minutes, round and round in circles, neither of them giving in. Finally Abby unable to take anymore when Maggie said that if anything happened to him it would be Abby's fault. She eventually lost her patience with her Mother and slammed the phone down, frustrated, hurt and angry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She drove not really paying attention to where she was going or the time that she was wasting as she moved through Chicago. Why was life so problematical, her life in particular? She knew that he would surface properly eventually, Maggie always had done and so would he. She just wished that she could confide in someone, Susan was engrossed in the baby and everything that went with it and Carter was totally involved in his own problems without worrying about hers. She felt like crying but that had never solved her problems in the past.

She looked up, she had been driving for ages, she sat there at the beginning of the drive and after a moment's hesitation drove up to the house. There she sat after she had killed the engine and the lights, staring at the house and wondering what had possessed her to come here.

He had heard the sound of an engine, wondering who the hell was visiting after eleven at night and curiosity got the better of him as he looked out of one of the windows. He felt surprised, trying to remember if they had arranged to meet up tonight, but drawing a blank.

He moved to the front door and opened it staring out at her car. As if she sensed this she looked up in the direction of the house and saw him standing there. She slowly got out of the car and headed towards the house.

She looked at him; he looked tired and drawn, but calm, a couple of days stubble on his chin, standing there in front of her in a T-shirt and sweatpants.

She, he noticed, was troubled, he knew that she'd got her results today, maybe it had something to do with that, but deep down he knew that it was something more than that.

Neither of them moved, neither of them spoke, it was as if time stood still, but of course it hadn't.

She didn't know what to say what to tell him. She didn't want to delve into the mess that Eric had helped to make of their relationship before, and this she thought would threaten it again. Not that they had that kind of relationship at present. Neither one of them was ready, just yet for that.

As if sensing her unease and discomfort, he did the only thing that he could, the only thing that he was able to at this time in his life, in his relationship with her. She was his friend, his best friend and he was not at present willing to admit to anything else which was lurking beneath the surface for the pair of them.

So, he opened his arms to her and she went into them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	6. Chapter Six

AN; After I posted chapter five yesterday, the AN sort of read like that was the last chapter, which of course it is not. I apologise if it looked like that so I thought I'd better post six straight after.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Six

They stood there in the embrace; the only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock on the wall. He stood there just holding her, not wanting to talk and break the moment, but to hold her and savour it.

She was feeling the same, it just felt right here with him, only she wasn't with him was she? Some time had passed before she eventually moved and they broke apart.

'Thank you' she started 'Just what I needed'

'Abby?' he asked wanting her to tell him more.

'Sorry, I came here' she added 'I...I .. Well I just needed...'

'It's okay' he replied

'I'd better go.......it's late'

He looked at her studying her, scrutinizing her face, the way she held herself.

'Stay?.... For a bit?..... Talk to me?' he tried not to sound as if he was begging for her company, but for some reason, just now, he craved it.

She in turn, surveyed him too, the fatigue etched on his face, but there was also something else there and she was half scared to read it, in case she read him incorrectly.

The silence was deafening as she considered her options. 'For a coffee?' she finally asked

'If that's what you'd like' he replied

She nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

In the kitchen as he made the coffee Abby looked around at bit and opened the fridge door, examining the contents she found there.

'Beer's gone' she commented

'Threw it out, I meant what I said about not getting drunk again, bad experience'

She smiled in return, glad that he had meant it.

'Want to go in the other room?' he asked

'Sure' she replied.

They walked through the house and made themselves comfortable on the sofa. Abby almost opted for an armchair but for some reason positioned herself beside Carter. They sat there in companionable silence drinking their coffee.

Carter finally broke the silence and said 'You got your results today right?' 

'Yeah'

'And?' he prompted

'Oh, um, well, yeah Dr Lockhart at your service' and she held out her hand which he shook.

Saying as he laughed 'Pleased to meet you. And congratulations'

'Yeah no more nurse shifts for me'

'Bet that feels great'

'Yeah'

They sat there again in silence.

Abby added 'I'm staying'

'Staying?' Carter asked not sure the context of her statement

'County, the ER, you'll have to put up with me a bit longer'

He smiled and said 'So? What's bothering you? It's not your results? Why else come visit me this time of night? Except maybe to celebrate, but you don't look like you want to do that tonight'

She studied him, she knew that he deserved an explanation, a truthful explanation, but without worrying him too much.

'Maggie' she said knowing that she had to choose her words carefully

'Problems?'

She raised her eyebrows 'Since when do they not give me problems?'

'They? I take it you Maggie and Eric?'

'Uh huh, I had another fight with Maggie tonight'

'About Eric' Carter stated, by some instinct he just knew.

'Yeah, he's been missing a couple of weeks, sent a letter from Missouri, she wants to go there, he could be anywhere by now'

'You never said'

'Well you've got enough problems of your own, without me telling you mine'

'You're my friend Abby and I like to think that I am yours, friends share their problems'

'I know it's just so complicated with Maggie and Eric, and after ..Well after what happened last year'

'He's sick Abby, he can't help it'

'Don't say something you don't mean, I know what a mess he made of everything, what a mess I made of everything that day'

They both knew what day she was referring to, the day of his Grandmother's funeral.

She continued mostly because she felt she had to apologise before he threw her out of the house. 'I'm sorry, it was a bad day for everyone. I'm really sorry'

She moved slightly as a small attempt to get up, for surely now he would want her to go, but she felt his hand on her arm.

'Where are you going?' he asked

'You don't want me to leave?' she asked biting her lip

'No, sit back' when she complied with his request he added 'I've thought about that day, over and over and I wish that, at the hospital I hadn't asked you to leave. I wish we'd gone someplace and talked'

'We can talk now, we are talking now' she smiled a little but it was a sad kind of smile, wishing of days gone by.

'I'm sorry I shut you out, with my Grandmother'

'Me too' she said 'With Eric'

'Start over?' he asked

She replied by nodding, she had never in a million years thought that they would talk about this tonight.

She moved again 'I should go, it's getting to be a habit, staying here talking all night'

'You could stay' he suggested 'In one of the spare rooms' he added off her slightly confused look.

'Thanks but I'd better go. If Maggie rings. I ought to apologise, say something to her' Abby replied thinking that staying under the same roof as Carter might not be a good idea, even if it was in another room.

He walked her to the car and waited whilst she tried to start it, after several attempts she wound the window down and asked 'The offer still stand?'

He grinned and nodded, she got out the car and they walked back to the house together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	7. Chapter Seven

AN: Thank you for reviewing. Here is the next instalment.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Seven

Much to her surprise she slept in the strange bed straight though until the morning, she lay there wondering what Carter was doing.

Carter was feeling refreshed after the best night's sleep he had had in weeks, no insomnia, no nightmares, he actually felt ready for the twelve hour shift he had ahead as he let the water cascade over his body. As usual he lost track of time standing there, just as the water began to run cold he got out and got ready for the day ahead.

He was halfway down the stairs when he remembered Abby was probably still in the room down the hall from his, so he went back upstairs and gently tapped on the door. When there was no reply he opened the door and peeped inside, he finally decided that she was already up and he made his way down to the kitchen. There he found her eating toast and drinking coffee.

'You're up early' he stated

'It's not that early it's after seven, anyway I'm waiting for a tow for the car' she explained

'What about trying to start it again, this morning?' he suggested

'I've already done that, while you were taking your two hour shower'

'I did not take a two hour shower, hang on, how did you know I was in the shower?'

'I know from previous experience, good job there's more than one shower here' she said glancing at him knowingly.

He decided to change the subject 'Sleep well?'

'Yeah, great, you?'

'Better, you working today?'

'Later'

'It's alright for some not having to be there early' he teased

'Ha!' she replied 'But I get the graveyard shift'

'Maybe I've got the better deal' he concluded 'No midnight coffee together tonight then'

'Not with me' she said

'Girls are hardly queuing at my door'

'That's because they don't know you're available, I'm sure your Mom knows a few'

'Don't. I don't even want to think about it' he replied laughing 'I'll pick my own girl thank you'

She smiled wishing that it would be her, that he chose. But knowing that he wasn't ready to choose anyone right now. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next four weeks seemed to fly by. Carter and Abby had a few more coffees at midnight. Carter talked through some things with her about his grandmother, Kem, Africa, County, but they tended to avoid talking about their relationship. Abby was busy as usual with Carter, Susan, work and endless phone calls from her mother, until spring finally gave way to summer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby rang the doorbell and waited, and waited.

'Hi' Abby took one look at her friend who appeared rather tired 'Are you okay, you were ages coming to the door, we don't have to shop today if you don't want to'

'If I don't shop today, I'll never get round to it. I had a bad night, couldn't sleep, that sort of thing' replied Susan 

'Ah' Abby replied 'Just as long as I don't have to carry you'

'I don't think you'd get far if you tried' She answered shutting the door behind her as the headed off to the shops together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Wonderful' exclaimed Susan as she sat down on a chair in a cafe, she had been wanting to have a sit down for ages but all the baby clothes in the store kept catching her eye.

Abby studied her friend, for someone who had trouble walking to the front door earlier she had certainly made up for it, during the last few hours. They had gone from one shop to another, searching for all kinds of baby paraphernalia and now they were laden down with bags, or rather Abby was.

'There's that new boutique place Kerry mentioned' Susan said as they drank coffee

'I think we have enough stuff, plus all the stuff on delivery' Abby replied not wanting to take her friend to this particular shop as it would spoil a surprise, that all their women colleagues in the ER had organised.

They had nominated Abby, to make sure that she didn't go anywhere near the shop and so far she had succeeded. But she didn't know if she could keep it up.

'You might get some more things as gifts, don't forget' Abby added

'Well yeah I guess so, but I still need wallpaper and stuff'

'I thought you'd decorated already'

'No, I thought about it, but that was about it'

'You're leaving it a bit late'

'I don't suppose you would help?'

'Well you can't go doing by yourself I guess'

'Thank you, for that I'll buy you another coffee'

'Wow, thanks' Abby said sarcastically

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby sat tiredly flicking through the channels on the television when the phone rang.

'Hello?' she said

'Hey'

'Carter'

'How was your shopping trip with Susan?'

'I think she bought half the stuff in all the stores'

He gave a small wry laugh.

'You okay?' she asked suddenly concerned

'Yeah, I just was thinking that, well that you know..... Susan is having a baby and I thought that by now I .... I was supposed to have been a father by now'

'You sure you're okay? D'you want me to come over?'

'No. I'm okay, feeling sorry for myself, today'

'You've been doing much better lately, you know it's okay to have a bad day, everybody gets bad days sometimes'

'When's the last time you had a bad day?'

'Well I don't think tomorrow will be great, I start at eight for a twenty four-hour shift'

'Mmmm well on that note I'll hang up, let you get some rest, bye Abby'

'Take care, bye'

After she put the phone down she pondered on their conversation, hoping that he was okay and wondering if she should have gone over to see him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby turned over in bed the digits on the clock read five fifty, who the hell was pounding on her door at this time of the day. As she got up she grabbed and robe and put it on as she headed for the door. Gingerly she opened it.

There before her stood a man she knew well, looking rather dishevelled and definitely worse the wear for drink.

'Can I come in?' he asked

'Yeah, but the drink stays out my apartment' she replied.

The man put the alcohol down on the floor outside the apartment door and he followed her in shutting the door behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	8. Chapter Eight

AN: Okay carterfan1 I will put you out of your misery and you can read who was at the door.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Eight

Abby turned round to look at him, squinting in the early morning light.

'Abby, I just wasn't ready to go home' he said

She sighed; wishing that she had today off and could sort out this mess which stood before her.

'Can I stay?' he asked

'How long for?' she replied

He shrugged and plopped down on the sofa.

'Oh no' she said to him 'You can't go to sleep yet, I want some answers first? Where have you been all this time Eric?'

He stared up at her, 'I need to sleep'

'So I see, okay sleep, we'll talk when I get back tomorrow'

'Tomorrow?'

'Yeah I have a long shift. Promise me one thing, that you'll ring Maggie, she's frantic'

'Yeah, whatever' he managed, just before he started snoring.

She sighed exasperated and made a mental note to ring her mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Abby you're slacking' said Pratt 'You need to work faster, look' he said pointing to triage 'We need to clear this'

'Okay'

'Whatever is on you mind you need to forget about 'til this lot have gone' he continued 'You hear what I'm saying Abby?'

She nodded.

'Good' he replied

She watched him saunter off to the admit desk and then much to her amazement informed Jerry that he was taking a break. Which left her to all the patients she had already plus the ones in triage and wondering where Luka was as he was supposed to be working too. She knew he was here, but she hadn't seen him for a least half an hour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby had started clock watching at twenty-three hours and five minutes into her shift. From a busy early evening it had slowed right down and now at just after seven am was a slow trickle of patients. She thought about ringing home to see if Eric was in, but decided that he would either be sleeping or out getting drunk or something similar.

'Cleared the patients yet Abby?' Pratt asked coming up to the desk

'More or less, no one's waiting' she answered.

'Good morning' said Weaver in a brisk fashion stopping opposite Pratt and Abby. 'We need to look organised this morning, I'm showing some perspective candidates around for the vacancy'

' 'Bout time' said Jerry eating a doughnut.

Kerry looked at him disapprovingly.

'Gotta eat breakfast before all the sick people rush back in' he explained

She grunted as he answered the telephone, still with a mouthful of doughnut.

'Dr Weaver' he said 'Morris just called in sick'

'Abby?' said Weaver

'What?' Abby replied then seeing Kerry's expression Abby added 'Oh no. I've just worked a twenty four hour shift, I didn't get any sleep'

'How many hours was he on for Jerry?'

''Twelve'

'There that's not too bad' Kerry told her 

'But Dr Weaver, I .....'

'Abby...' she started

Abby replied 'Oh okay' then to Pratt she said 'Why couldn't you do it?'

'I have far more important things to do, like catching up with sleep'

'What exactly have you been doing all night anyway?' she asked

'As your superior....' he started

'Thank you, I don't want to hear anymore' she replied heading off to the lounge to grab a much needed coffee.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

'Abby's in a funny mood today' Susan commented to Carter at the admit desk.

'Lack of sleep' said Randi butting in 'She worked all night. Jerry said Weaver made her take an extra shift'

'Still' said Susan, 'She seems a bit odd, I tried to talk to her but, no go'

'I go have a chat with her' Carter offered

'Yeah maybe she'll talk to you'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Abby!' called Carter catching up with her in the corridor. 'Hey'

'You're bright and breezy' she commented

'Been sleeping better lately'

'Sorry I didn't come round the other night, I kinda felt bad after our talk'

'It's okay, it was good to hear you voice'

'I've got to go' she said edging away from him 'I'm running around after at least ten patients'

He touched her arm to prevent her walking away and said 'You okay?' His eyes searched hers and she could see the concern there.

'Just tired' she replied, which was partly the truth.

'What's Weaver up to?' Carter said as they watched as she led a handful of smartly dressed people around.

'They're after Romano's job' she replied

'Really!' he continued to stare at them until Kerry caught his eye and glared at him, a glare which said he better start getting on with his job.

'Catch you later' Abby said thankfully having an excuse to walk away, she didn't know if she should tell anyone that Eric was staying. Sometimes things were better if other people were oblivious.

'Ummm, what? Yeah?' he replied, still staring at the candidates for the chief position.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later however Abby went home alone, she opened the door cautiously, the apartment was still, she noticed her spare key was missing from it's hook. The place was messy, but at this point she was too tired to care and within ten minutes was in bed asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning Abby took a shower, which left her feeling refreshed. Dressed she walked out of her bedroom. Eric was sleeping on the sofa, snoring loudly, she didn't know when she would get an opportunity to talk to him, but had found the time whilst at work yesterday to give Maggie a quick call.

She quickly had breakfast and was just heading out when she noticed a baseball bat and what she could only describe as a horse whip one in either of Eric's hands as he slept.

She shook her head inwardly thinking that she did not want to know what he was doing with either of those objects. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Work was frantic as usual, which meant the time passed quickly. Abby stood watching Carter and Susan talk, Carter seemed much more relaxed than before and they were obviously sharing a joke, which Abby thought was a great improvement.

Meanwhile Carter was watching her out of the corner of his eye. Susan knew something was bothering her, he knew something was bothering her and he had a sneaky suspicion that somehow it involved Eric.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later Abby was getting ready to leave when Carter approached her.

'I'm off in ten, want coffee and pie, on me?' he asked

'Sounds good, but...'

'I knew that was coming' he replied

'It's Susan's baby shower tonight, it's my job to get her there'

'Oh. Have fun. Another time?'

'Sure' she answered, partly wishing that she could have seen him then, especially when a new nurse called Caroline stopped him in the hall and started flirting with him. She sighed heavily feeling a large pang of jealously, before walking out the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	9. Chapter Nine

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Nine

Carter cursed the traffic, he had left with plenty of time and now he was running late. If he didn't get there soon Abby would probably go home and he would have to face his father's friends alone.

Abby stood outside the theatre wondering where Carter had got too, wishing now that she had agreed for him to come pick her up, so what if he bumped into Eric. Eric was probably out by now anyway.

She half contemplated going home, opera was not her thing, she would much rather sit at home and watch fear factor or catch a movie or even attend an AA meeting, which she reminded herself she really needed to do. She was just about to give up when she saw him walk briskly round the corner.

'Sorry, got held up' he said, then after looking her up and down added 'You look nice'

Smiling he held out his arm and they entered the building, he felt okay, more than okay when she was with him. The surprising thing was that now he could manage to go to events by himself, but because he wanted to spend time with her, this was a good excuse as any. He still was a long way from defining his feelings for her, being honest with himself, but he knew one thing and that was the day was much better with Abby in it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby got home late, Carter had persuaded her to go for a meal after the theatre. The apartment seemed quiet as she let herself in, and switched on the light. She was not prepared therefore to see Eric standing there looming over her with the baseball bat raised and ready to strike, not a ball but her.

She let out a yelp, then said 'What the hell are you doing?'

'I didn't know who it was, I thought you might be out to get me'

'I had a key Eric, if I was out to get you I wouldn't have....'

'Oh but someone could have had a key cut'

'Are you in some kind of trouble you're not telling me?' she asked worried and concerned, thinking that maybe it just wasn't the fact that he very obviously was not taking his medication properly and spent at least fifty per cent of his time in a drunken stupor.

'No. What gives you that idea?' he said turning round and putting the bat down.

She raised her eyebrows to the ceiling. Then said 'Well for a start you go to sleep with a bat'

'So I'm not normal is that what your saying?' he asked beginning to get agitated.

Abby noticed this and as she didn't want a confrontation tonight knew she had to calm him down.

'No, no that's not what I'm saying'

'But you're right I'm not normal am I?' he said

She sighed 'Maybe if you could get your life back on track' she suggested

'Tried that' he said settling himself back on the sofa to go to sleep. 'Don't want to talk about it anymore Abby, okay?'

'Yeah' she muttered heading off to the bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby answered the phone on the fifth ring. It was early before six am.

'Hi' she said groggily.

She had worked a double the day before and was still feeling rather out of it, especially when Eric brought a few of his 'new friends' round and the loud music only stopped when three neighbours complained and Abby threatened to throw Eric out of her apartment for good.

'What?' she added

'Right now? Okay, okay, okay, Susan I get the picture. Give me ten minutes right? Right? You can hang on? Great, Just remember about the breathing okay'

She put the phone down. Went to the bathroom, then pulled on the first clothes she came to, before grabbing her keys and heading off to take Susan to the hospital. They arrived and entered via the main entrance so that they wouldn't have to meet anyone from the ER. Soon Susan was settled and the doctor came in to examine her.

'What?' Susan said 'That can't be right, only three centimetres?'

She sighed looking at Abby and said 'I thought at least I was almost fully dilated'

Abby bit back a smile 'Well these things take time'

'It's okay for you to stand there trying not to smile I'm the one in pain here'

'Yeah, well you can have a epidural later if you need one' suggested Abby

'You don't think I'm coping with the pain well do you?' Susan asked her

'I know I've never been where you are now, but these are mild contractions and they only get better when.....'

'Thank you I get the picture, you're supposed to encourage me, make me feel better'

'Sorry'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Where's Abby?' asked Kerry, 'hasn't she a shift today?'

'She's upstairs with Susan, the baby...' said Sam

'Oh right' said Kerry 'Isn't it early?'

'A few weeks' commented Carter in a matter of fact way.

'Why are we all gathered here?' asked Luka who preferred to be working than standing at admit with Kerry, who had summoned them there.

'We're just waiting for the new chief of the ER to arrive so that I can introduce him to you all' Kerry replied 'Here he is now' 

A large well built man approached, and stopped when he reached them, he didn't smile.

Kerry said 'Everyone this is the newly appointed chief of emergency medicine, Dr James Wright'

Everyone mumbled 'Hello' 'Welcome' and that sort of thing.

There was an uneasy atmosphere, fortunately it was broken when Jerry told them a multi trauma was coming in and they all set to work including Kerry and the new Doctor Wright.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Any news?' Sam asked Jerry

'What?'

'Susan?'

'Not yet'

'She's only been up there eight hours or so' commented Pratt

'Eight hours is long enough believe me' said Sam, from experience.

'Where's the new guy gone?' said Luka joining them at the desk

'Home I think' said Jerry

'Good' said Sam 'And I thought Romano was a jerk, this one seems worse'

'You can't tell already' Luka said

'I can' she replied 'He kind of leers at you, I suppose you didn't notice, he wasn't staring at you'

'I know what you mean' said Elizabeth, 'he looked at me like that too'

'You two' said Luka 'Are over reacting' he picked up another chart and went off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey Abby! Wait up' Carter called as Abby almost entered the elevator. 'Frank said you'd been down' he added 'How's Susan?'

'Good. Tired'

'Abby do me a favour?' he asked holding out an envelope to her, she looked questioningly at him.

'It's for Susan, the baby really. I didn't contribute to the staff gift. I couldn't' he faltered slightly

She put a hand on his arm and said 'You okay?'

'Yeah, it's difficult, that's all'

'You want me to come over, after your shift?'

'You must be tired, you've been up there all day and I know you worked a double yesterday'

She shrugged 'If you need me'

'I think you need your sleep more'

She looked back at him not entirely persuaded.

'Really' he added

'I'll call you then' she stated, pulling away and getting into the elevator before the doors shut.

Carter looked to his left and saw Luka there watching him.

'You two together again?' he asked Carter

'No' Carter replied bluntly, walking off leaving Luka staring after him contemplating the reply.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'This is from Carter' said Abby when she came back into the room handing her friend the envelope.

'Why didn't he come up here himself?' she asked fixing her attention on her son nestled in her arms all 8lb 1oz of him, despite his slightly early arrival.

'It's busy down there' Abby replied for want of a better excuse.

'Let's hope is better than the letter he wrote you' she said 

Abby sighed Carter was not going to live the contents of that letter down in a hurry.

'Wow!' Susan exclaimed

'What?' asked Abby

'A cheque, a generous cheque and a note saying he's sorry he can't be much help'

'He's sad' Abby finally admitted

Susan looked confused.

Abby continued 'Happy for you but sad for him' she clarified.

'Oh' answered Susan 'I kind of forgotten about that in my joy, happiness, that he would be down, that's why he's not visiting isn't it?'

Abby nodded.

'So what's going on with you two anyway, you seem in each others pockets all of a sudden, something you're not telling me?' Susan asked

'Nothing's going on, we're just friends'

'Yeah right' Susan replied 'As if you both will, just be friends'

'Thought about a name yet?' Abby asked changing the subject.

'Mmmmmm, well I always wanted to call him Bradley, but somehow that doesn't seem to suit him, so I'm going to call him Daniel'

'Daniel' repeated Abby 'What about Chuck?'

'I don't want to call him Chuck'

'No, that's not what I meant, what I meant was, will Chuck mind what you name the baby'

'Oh' replied Susan 'No well we couldn't really decide, I guess he can choose a middle name'

Strangely at that moment there was a tap at the door and Chuck poked his head around it, then came in.

'I'd better go' said Abby tactfully, leaving baby Daniel with both of his parents, for probably one of the few occasions of his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby went home, vacating the hospital without going through the ER and collapsing on top of her bed without even getting undressed, where she fell asleep immediately.

The banging around her apartment woke her about midnight. She sleepily got up and went to investigate, only to find Eric waving his baseball bat about.

Switching the light on she said 'What are you doing?'

'I've just got in'

'Oh, you took that thing with you?'

'You can never be too careful'

'You could hurt something, someone with that'

'I could, if they threatened me'

'Eric, you'll end up in jail'

He chose to ignore her 'Have you seen my...' he stopped

'Your what?' she asked

'I'm going out again, I just came back for my....'

'You're what Eric, what are you looking for?'

'This' he replied having looked down the side of the sofa and locating a bottle of gin.

'I told you, no alcohol in the apartment or you're out' she said

'Yeah, yeah. You're beginning to sound like Mom, why do you think I left. She drove me crazy, telling what I could and couldn't do'

'You bring alcohol in here again and that's it Eric' she said

He waved the bat around, she stepped back. He studied her expression, then turn and walked back out the front door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	10. Chapter Ten

AN: Carterfan1, thank you for reviewing.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Ten

Late summer

Carter finished the preparations and stood back wondering how it came to be that he was hosting a pool party. Originally he had intended just to ask Abby over. But somehow, and he had a vague recollection of Susan being involved on a visit to the ER with baby Daniel, it now included Susan, Daniel, Luka, Sam, Alex and of course Abby. Carter was relieved that Jerry. Yosh, Jing-Mei, Pratt and the new Dr James Wright were working; otherwise they would have probably come too.

What he had originally intended was to invite Abby over to say thank you for the support and friendship she had shown particularly over the past few months. He finally felt like he was in control of his life again, of course there were still the odd moments when he felt depressed, but then again everyone felt like that from time to time right? He had that time of sadness when Daniel was born, but now he had grieved over it and accepted the fact that Susan was now a parent and she deserved all the love and support her friends could give her, including him. He would just have to come to terms with the negative feelings, which still lingered, which still consumed him every time he spent too long in the company of Daniel. He hoped today wouldn't be too intense and that he could watch the baby from a distance, which felt okay.

Carter's thoughts strayed back to Abby, they seemed to have their relationship back on track, not romantically or intimately however, but the firm foundations of their friendship were secure.

That, Carter reflected had taken some work, though they had first started really talking the night she got her results, when they discussed his Grandmother's funeral. They had gone on later to talk about the drinking, Carter's hang up with his financial status, which still incidentally was not really addressed properly. About how he had left, how he had been the one to run away, twice. Abby said that it had given them time to reflect upon everything. She also told him that she could have done without the entire ER staff reading the letter he sent her. Not that that was Carter's fault that Frank had fished it out the trashcan and shown it to all and sundry. Carter did feel bad about the whole letter deal, in retrospect it had been the cowardly way out.

Carter wanted to start again, he wanted to tell her how he felt, but he was a little scared of baring his soul to her. Carter knew it was too soon for a declaration of love. She would think it quite odd if he just blurted out how he felt, especially when there had been all those times whilst they had been dating and he had never said a thing. Well he had said things but not those three important words, neither of them had.

Carter was also worried that she might not return his feelings, or be unwilling to. She had changed dramatically in fact changes he liked, admired and loved.

Recently however something had been worrying her. She had sworn that he Carter was not to blame, but seemed reluctant to share with him. Which was a problem they had had before and obviously yet not overcome.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party was in full swing; it was just as well that it was a warm and sunny day. Suddenly Daniel began to fuss from his comfortable position in his baby carrier in the shade.

'I'll get him' said Abby, climbing out of the pool, reaching for a towel and drying herself off.

'He's probably hungry again' commented Susan swimming to the end of the pool to talk to Abby.

'You want to feed him?' Abby asked

'No, I'm having fun you can do it'

'I can?' replied Abby doubtfully, not aware at that moment that Susan had quit breast-feeding.

'Sure' seeing Abby's expression she added 'I stopped breast-feeding. I was anxious; he was anxious, hungry. I was sore and tired, grumpy. I couldn't take it anymore, something had to give' she explained trying to justify her decision.

'You don't have to explain to me' Abby replied

'Anyway, I put some bottles in Carter's fridge when I arrived' she said as Abby finally wriggled out of the towel dressed.

Susan looked pleadingly at her friend who finally caved.

'Okay, I'll take him inside though' and she carefully picked him up out of the carrier, cradling him on her shoulder as she entered the house.

In was quiet in the house, except for the odd squeal or two coming from the garden. She soon found the bottle, heated it up and settled down to feed the baby.

After burping him successfully she softly asked him 'What shall we do now? Would you like me to sing to you?'

Daniel looked up at her.

'I'll warn you now, my singing's not great, most people ask me to stop'

Of course the baby didn't protest or anything so she stood up, gently rocking the baby in her arms and started singing to him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter stood on the side of the pool; Luka and Alex were still splashing about. Susan and Sam were lying on loungers in the sun. He dried himself and went into the house to change. On his way back down the stairs he swore that he could hear the distant sound of Abby singing.

He leant on the doorframe, the door was half way closed and he drank in the scene before him. Abby stood in the centre of the room, swaying gently and singing softly to the infant.

'There d'you like that?' she said to Daniel 'Ummm let me think, what else....ummm.... I know.. er, Hey diddle the cat and the fiddle the cow jumped over the moon, the little dog laughed to see such fun...' she stopped abruptly, when she heard the soft rumble of laughter coming from behind her and she turned around.

Carter stood there grinning at her.

'Enjoying the performance are you?' she asked

He smiled at her and said 'If you carry on like that Susan will want to employ you as regular day care'

As he spoke he walked up to them.

'Ha' she replied 'I don't mind helping out but Susan can find her own day care'

'He's sleeping' Carter said stating the obvious as they both looked down at the child in her arms.

'Want to hold him?' she asked tentatively

Carter shook his head and bit his lip then said 'No, I don't know if I'm quite ready for that'

'You okay?' she whispered

Still biting his lip he nodded 'No one ever said it would be easy' he replied

Boldly he moved his hand and gently stroked the baby's hand with his index finger.

'Abby?' he said

She looked up at him, despite the contentment there from nursing the baby, he could see something else, some torment that she surely had to share with someone.

'What's wrong?' he asked putting his index finger into the air to emphasis what he was saying 'Don't say nothing, I know, we both know that's not true, you've been quiet all afternoon'

Their eyes locked and for the life of her she couldn't break it. His hand seemed to come from nowhere and ever so lightly he brushed his knuckles down the side of her face.

'Oh there you are' Susan said hurrying into the room, focused on the most important thing in her life, Daniel. 

Carter hastily dropped his hand and he and Abby stood there waiting for Susan to continue.

'Luka's leaving and offered us a ride home' she explained taking the baby from Abby. Then to Abby she said 'I thought you might be staying, so I said yes'

'Great' Abby managed

'You sure?' Susan asked suddenly aware that there was a strange tension in the room.

'Yeah' she said

'I .. we I.... I need to talk to Abby' Carter finally blurted out.

'Oh, well there you go, we'll all be gone soon. It was great by the way, thanks Carter' she started to move off 'I'm just getting my stuff together' she shouted back at them over her shoulder, which woke Daniel up. 'Oh pooh' she muttered

Abby and Carter just stood there, and then they turned to face each other.

'Okay, I'm ready to talk, we'll just wait 'til they have gone'

And he nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'So?' Carter finally asked, his hands were thrust in his pockets, as he was tempted to put his arm around her shoulders as they walked through the gardens.

'What?' she replied miles away in her own thoughts.

He bit his lip, raised his eyebrows at her and wondered if she was being deliberately evasive.

'Oh' she conceded 'Well you know it's complicated'

'It always is right?' he answered

She gave him a half hearted smile which didn't quite reach her eyes and knew that she couldn't keep it back from him any longer if their friendship was going to survive to ever become more than that.

'Eric' she said

He didn't comment, he didn't even look at her, confusing her somewhat but she felt compelled to continue.

'He's back'

She stole another glance at him, at his stony expression, which for him was his only way of masking his real emotions.

He gestured for her to continue.

'He's been staying a while at my apartment. Half the time he's drunk and off his meds. When he's not out he's sleeping on the sofa clutching a baseball bat. He's completely paranoid that someone's out to get him. You know what he scares me John. When's he's been drinking, he gets so angry, violent almost'

Now she had started she couldn't stop and all her fears about Eric came flooding out.

'I don't want to throw him out, I want to look after, protect him, but I don't think I can do it anymore. It was okay when we were just kids, it was easy then' she stopped talking and sighed deeply.

'Easy then?' thought Carter 'She was just a kid herself, but with the responsibilities of a grown woman and more besides'

He looked at her and still said nothing, still kept his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

'I've always been responsible for him, you know' she added 'It's ingrained in me and he's hurting and if he needs me, I can't say no, I can't deny him the support he needs, even if it isn't doing much for me'

They stopped walking, they faced each other. Abby looked at him but his expression was unreadable. He wanted to tell her everything would be all right, he wanted to tell her he would be here for her whenever she needed him. Would she believe him, trust him. He felt like he had messed up last time. It was harder than he had ever imagined, trying to deal with Eric, the times when she had, let him in. He couldn't imagine how it must be now with Maggie and Eric, although Maggie was better in a lot of ways, now as opposed to the first time he had met her.

He pulled his hands out of his jeans and let them rest upon her slight shoulders, massaging them gently.

'He has to want to help himself, you know that Abby'

'Yes' she said 'I know. It just scares me John, his behaviour. I feel like something bad is going to happen, something out of my control and I can't do a thing about it'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	11. Chapter Eleven

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Eleven

Two months later

The room was dark; the figure lay in a foetal type position on the floor with it's hands protecting it's head. It was still, quiet in the early hours of the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Is it me or is it getting cold out there?' Jing-Mei said as she came into the ER.

'It's what we call early onset of winter' explained Frank in his usual manner.

'Don't get too excited it's not much warmer in here' said Sam joining the conversation.

'It's quiet, where's everyone?' Jing-Mei asked

'Carter's late, don't ask me where he is,' said Frank 'Abby's due in in the next couple of hours or so, Pratt's in triage, Morris is in one and Luka's somewhere'

'Suture' supplied Sam

'There you go,' said Frank 'Down on nurses too, they all seem to have picked up this cold virus going around'

'Nice' said Jing-Mei and as she turned Carter hurried in looking rather harassed.

'You're late' called out Frank 'Good job Dr Wright isn't here today'

'Flight was delayed' Carter shouted back heading into the lounge.

'Where did he go?' asked Frank

Jing-Mei shook her head.

Sam said 'Don't look at me?'

'If anyone knows it'll be Abby' said Jing-Mei

'She's not here' said Frank

'So you said' said Jing-Mei then added 'We could actually ask Carter himself'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The alarm clock rang through the apartment, the figure on the floor moved slightly, gingerly as if testing out it's limbs. Slowly the figure got up and forced it's self into a standing position of sorts and moved to turn off the noise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'You lot look happy' said Carter sarcastically coming up to the desk where Sam, Jing-Mei and Frank still stood gossiping.

'It's the weather' said Jing-Mei

'Or working here' said Sam

'What's in?' Carter asked flicking through the rack to see if there was anything interesting, finding nothing that particularly that took his fancy he selected a possible kidney stone in four.

'Been slow last couple of days' said Sam thinking that she hadn't seen him for a while.

'Really' said Carter

'You've been gone that long?' asked Jing-Mei

'Three days' Carter replied 

'Where did you go?' she asked

'To see my father, sort out some personal family stuff that I had been putting off' he replied

'Everything okay?' she asked

'Yeah' he replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It was still relatively slow when Abby walked in two hours later. She moved slowly and carefully into the lounge and wondered how the hell she was going to pull this shift off, appearing as if everything was normal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby walked into the lounge to get another coffee and found Morris who obviously was slacking as usual.

'Coffee?' she asked

'No thanks' he replied 'got to work' and he headed out 

'That will be a first' Abby muttered to herself.

She took her coffee and pondered whether to sit at the table or on the sofa which looked really inviting. However she knew that if she chose the latter she would have difficulty getting up, so she looked at the chair and finally decided that that was also too much effort to get up from, so she went back to admit. 

'Hey' said Carter greeting her outside the door to the lounge.

'Hi' she replied 'How's your Dad?'

'Good'

She raised her eyebrows at him, which was probably the only part of her anatomy, which didn't hurt.

'We talked, after I spoke to you and you convinced me to stay, then it was good' he confessed

She smiled at him.

'Trauma's coming in' yelled Sam

'Coming?' asked Carter to Abby

'No... I... er... just.... My patient' she turned round as fast as possible under the circumstances, which was in fact incredibly slowly and walked carefully off.

Carter looked at her puzzled, worried, something was wrong, very wrong, but he didn't have the time to ask her about it at that moment.

'Carter! Double MVA' yelled Pratt 'I need help'

Carter turned on his heel and went into trauma one with Pratt, Sam and the patient. Followed closely by Jing-Mei and another couple of nurses and another patient who entered trauma two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the couple of trauma's from the MVA it slowed down again. Carter stood at admit sipping a coffee and staring intently at the computer screen when he caught Abby walk past out of the corner of his eye. His gaze shifted from the computer to Abby. At first he thought that maybe she was tired, but it seemed somehow more than that, something else he just could not put his finger on. He knew Eric was still at her apartment for he had spoken to him two days ago when he rang Abby from Boston.

She didn't have her usual motivation, maybe she was going down with that virus thing Frank kept on about, but he didn't really believe it was that either. He looked around him, it was quiet. He could see Luka in the lounge, Pratt and Sam were also at the admit desk and he could see Morris walking about doing nothing as usual, not there was much to do at present and he could hear Jing-Mei talk to a patient in curtain one.

He followed Abby up the corridor and into exam one, where she looked at a patient's chart. There was something about the way she moved it wasn't normal it looked almost robotic, forced.

'Abby' he said as she put the chart back and leant on the bottom of the patients bed as if she needed the support.

'Abby' he touched her shoulder and she flinched slightly 

She looked up at him, he glanced around the room and gently steered her to an empty bed and gently sat her down on it, noticing that she winced.

'Talk' he said bluntly and to the point

He bit his lip as he looked at her waiting for a reply.

She looked up at him, she knew she should have stayed home today but she needed the money and couldn't really afford to take time off sick. She also knew that she could never fool Carter and that the truth would surely come out.

'I think I broke a couple of ribs' she finally told him.

'Broken? How?'

She looked at him, studying him, trying to gauge his reaction, if she came out with what actually occurred.

When she didn't reply he added 'Want me to take a look' it wasn't a question though more of a statement.

Still she said nothing.

'Abby, you're not fit to be here. I've watched you for the last couple of hours and...'

'Okay'

'What?'

'I said okay, look'

He proceeded to pull the curtain around the bed when Morris approached.

'Dr Carter?'

'Yes' Carter replied

'I thought that bed was free, I was going to put this patient in it' Morris stated indicating a woman beside him.

'Well it's not, find another, we're not busy'

'But Frank said'

'I don't care what Frank said this bed is taken'

'There's no name on the board'

'There will be' Carter snapped and walked back into the curtained area leaving Morris standing outside.

'Mrs Jordan, we'll just find you a bed this way' Morris said and he led his patient out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter was appalled 'This is more than a couple of broken ribs Abby' he said as he examined her. Noticing the bruising which seemed to be appearing all over her upper body. 'We better do a couple of tests to rule out anything. How did this happen?'

She looked at him then away, everything hurt, ached; she promised herself that she would not cry in front of him.

'Tell me Abby' he pleaded

Looking down she said 'I told him to leave, get out, that I didn't want to see him again'

'Him? Who?' Carter replied trying to take everything in.

'Carter?' Jing-Mei called entering the room.

'We haven't finished discussing this' Carter told Abby as he went to find out what Jing-Mei wanted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She sat there in the bed; the curtain still pulled round her. The tears, which threatened to fall, brimmed on her eyes, but she fought them back. She wasn't going to let them fall. This was nothing, she was okay she kept telling herself. She wasn't hurt too bad really, although everything ached as though she had gone a couple of rounds in a boxing ring. And why did the thought of going home to her apartment scare her so, there was nothing to be afraid of, he would be gone by now, she could change the locks and then she would feel safe again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Carter' Sam said approaching him at admit.

'Yeah' he answered

'Abby's results are back in' she spoke quietly so that everyone else didn't hear. 'Here' and she thrust them into his hand as he discreetly went to look at them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he popped his head round the curtain, she appeared to be sleeping, in a strange upright sort of way. He gently lowered himself onto the edge of the bed.

'Abby' he said softly

She opened her eyes immediately and he knew that she hadn't been sleeping at all.

'I've got your results back' he said quietly

'And?' she asked

'Well you're right about one thing, you've a couple of broken ribs'

'Thought so, felt a bit like last time'

'Last time?'

'Yeah, you remember when there was an explosion down here, Maggie was visiting, it was Thanksgiving'

'Oh yeah, yeah I remember' he replied.

'What?' she asked 'There's something else?'

'There's the obvious bruising and abrasions that are visible and then your right kidney appears to have experienced some trauma too, don't worry nothing too serious no internal bleeding otherwise we would have picked you off the floor earlier, it just seems bruised'

'Oh great, I just thought it was visible bruising'

'Are you going to tell me what happened?' he asked almost inaudibly

'It's a bit blurry really' she said

'Come on Abby, it's not that blurry is it? You didn't lose consciousness did you?' he asked suddenly worried that she'd hit her head.

'No I er I don't think so. No'

'Then tell me, what happened'

She shrugged 'It was my fault, I should have never let him back after last week'

'What? Who?' Carter asked, inwardly knowing the answer but somehow by asking, he hoped that he was wrong.

'Eric' she tried hard to keep her voice under control, she willed herself not to cry in front of him. 

His expression was terse and concerned, but not surprised.

Suddenly they were interrupted by Caroline the nurse 'GSW three minutes' she told him

'Find Luka, I'm busy' he replied

'Dr Carter...'

'No, not now, what's Luka doing anyway'

'He's on a break.'

'Jing-Mei can have the GSW or find Luka'

She sighed at him and turned around to find another doctor.

'You should go' Abby told him 'I'm not going anywhere'

Carter sighed deeply. 'Promise me, you'll stay right there?'

She nodded and he left, thankful for some more time to collect herself as she bit back the tears once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He seemed to appear suddenly and at first she thought she was dreaming.

'John' she said as he sat down again.

He was looking rather tired and she guessed they lost the patient.

He ran a hand over his face and said 'Tell me Abby, what happened'

'You're not busy?'

'No. Talk. This time I've made sure we won't get interrupted'

There was a few minutes silence before she spoke.

'He was drunk as usual, he didn't know what he was doing' she said starting to defend her brother.

Carter bit his lip and raised his eyebrows at her, willing her to continue and wondering if she would never stop protecting him.

'We fought, argued. I told him last time that if he bought drink into the apartment he was out. But he didn't listen, told me that I was just like Mom, always nagging, that I didn't know what was best for him. That he knew what was best for him and no one else. That no one else would ever know what he was going through, what he was having to live through' she stopped suddenly as she realised her face was wet and wiped it with the back of her hand.

Carter sat there he didn't try to comfort her, he sat and watched her intently, urging her to carry by just looking at her.

'He told me I didn't understand that I couldn't possibly understand and that I would never understand. He said he was an adult and could do what he liked when he liked and if I didn't like it then tough. He told me to stop interfering, nagging, cajoling him to try and sort his life out. He said he was fed up with me, that he never wanted me, to look after him, take care of him, even when we were kids. He hadn't wanted me; he'd wanted a real Mom, not the one we had and not me an unsuitable replacement. I did my best you know, when I was a kid'

This time he stopped her by laying his hand on her forearm, she looked down finding his hand extremely interesting as his fingers softly massaged the skin there.

He didn't know if he could talk, ask questions, he felt too emotional. Why did stuff like this always happen when he went away, he silently asked himself? Fortunately for him she continued.

'Then he got real angry and started yelling, I can't remember everything he said, because he started to wave the baseball bat about and I knew that this time he would aim straight and he did. I can't recall how many times he hit me; I just curled up as best as I could, to protect my head. Then the phone rang, it stopped him, and he answered it and was gone. I couldn't move, I was scared, everything hurt and after a while I guess I must have fallen asleep for the next thing I knew my alarm was going off in the bedroom. Don't ask me to press charges I don't think I can, he's still my brother, and I .... but.. I...'

He looked at her reassuringly when Sam entered.

'Sorry' she started 'I know you said you didn't want any interruptions but' she looked at Carter then Abby, wondering what the hell was going on and knowing that whatever it was it wasn't good.

'What?' Carter asked

'There's a guy out at admit, wants to see Abby, says he's your brother'

Carter looked at Abby's tear stricken face. Abby bit her nails and fixed her gaze directly at Carter.

'I... I....can't' she stuttered

Sam looked from Carter to Abby then back to Carter again.

'What am I going to tell him?' Sam asked them waiting for an answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	12. Chapter Twelve

AN: Thank you to the people who reviewed, I appreciate it.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twelve

The air was filled with tension.

'I don't want to see him' Abby said shaking her head 'I can't, not now'

Sam turned to go.

'Wait' said Carter 'I'll go talk to him, stay here with Abby'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Carter approached Eric started talking 'I want to see Abby, she's here right?'

Carter looked at him, trying to control himself, the muscle in his cheek twitched spontaneously.

'Tell me she came to work, I know she's here I want to see her' he continued as Carter reached him and stood opposite him.

'It's best if you leave' Carter replied in a tight controlled voice

'I can't, not 'til I've seen her, please I have to see her, she's my sister' he stopped and observed Carter 'Come on, let me see her, does she know I'm here?'

'She doesn't want to see you right now' Carter told him

'But I have to see her make sure she's okay'

'You should have thought about that last night'

'I didn't know what I was doing; she's okay isn't she? Tell me she's okay?'

'You should go' Carter said clenching his fists in his pockets

Eric started to lose his temper with Carter and spoke loudly 'Abby! Abby!'

'Security' called Luka in the background as he and other staff had gathered around. Luka looked at them knowing that the gossips would have a field day later.

'I've told you she doesn't want to see you, if I were you I'd head back to where you came from, or go see Maggie'

'I don't want to see Maggie all she does is nag me into getting onto a programme'

'Maybe that's what you should do?' suggested Carter

'I did for a bit, now I know why Abby and I had to follow Maggie all around the country, it's too hard'

'You need to try harder'

'Do you know what it's like? DO YOU?' he shouted at Carter

'I know what you're doing to Abby'

'Well I guess that's how you would see it, from her point of view'

'Do you know what you did last night?'

'I didn't do anything'

'Didn't you?'

'I can't remember. We had a fight'

'Unfair fight'

'What you think I'd hurt her on purpose, she's my sister even if she's a pain in the butt'

'You said you don't remember? But you know you hurt her?'

'What? I got a little carried away that's all...'

'A little. You got a little carried away, have you any idea what you did to her? What you could have done if one of you friends hadn't rung, do you?' Carter's hands came out from his pockets and he reached for the collar of Eric's jacket, suddenly Luka appeared and stood between them.

'Don't do anything you'll regret Carter' Luka said putting the palm of his hand on Carters chest, to hold him back at bit.

'I want to see her' Eric said to Luka

'No' Luka said 'Dr Carter has already told you she doesn't want to see you'

'I didn't hurt her like you did' Eric cruelly said to Carter and this time Luka had to pull Carter away as he started to lunge for Eric.

'No what you did was worse' Carter replied

'Carter!' he said firmly 'Get a grip' and to Pratt he said 'Take Eric to the family room, with security' he added nodding to the security man.

With that Carter shook himself free from Luka and headed to the men's rest room, swiftly followed by Luka.

Luka found Carter hunched over the basin trying to control his temper.

'He .. He thinks he can just come in here and demand to see her'

'Carter' Luka said warningly

'Did you see what he did to her? Did you?'

Luka shook his head. 'No, but I know how I felt when her neighbour punched her in the face, much as you're feeling now and punching Eric's lights out isn't going to help you much, might make you feel better. But it's not going to help the situation. You're not going to help Abby like that. Take a walk' Luka told him

'What? What for?'

'To get rid of the tension, anger, you don't want to face Abby or Eric like that. Go on, go. I'll come out and get you after you've cooled down'

Carter took one look at Luka and did as he asked.

Luka went to try and calm Eric down, then went to see Abby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Maybe if he sees what he's done it'll help' suggested Luka later to Carter in the Lounge 'He seems remorseful, know what he did was wrong'

'Do you think Abby will agree?' Carter asked

Luka shrugged 'Ask her, it will be better coming from you. If he sees her injuries and the X-rays it might register more. Don't forget to suggest we call Maggie either'

Carter ran a hand over his face.

'You can stay in there with them, maybe Sam or Caroline too'

Carter finally nodded and said 'Yeah okay it's worth a try'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter spent a tense couple of hours persuading Abby to let Eric see her and to call Maggie. Fortunately the whole thing went okay and he finally went home with Abby, leaving Eric to head back to Abby's apartment. Although Eric saw Abby briefly she still didn't want anything to do with him at that point. And if Carter was honest he had had enough of Eric for a while too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey' Susan said hurrying into the ER that evening. 'Sorry I'm late, Chuck was delayed coming over to collect Daniel. Did I miss anything good today?'

'Well' said Chuny slowly, 'there was something'

'What? Don't keep me in suspense?' Susan replied

Chuny and the other members of staff at the desk proceeded to tell her their version of the events of the day.

'Wow! Really. Poor Abby' she said inwardly hoping that everything was okay, with two of her closest friends.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	13. Chapter Thirteen

AN: Again a little thank you for your comments.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Thirteen

Carter walked down the landing to Abby's room, he tentatively knocked the door, but she didn't answer. Hesitantly he opened it and walked over to the bed where she lay. He could hear her sniffling as if she was crying.

'Hey' he said sitting on the bed

'Carter?' she asked

'What?' he replied

'Could you stay? Talk?' she asked

'Sure, I can do that' he answered and made himself more comfortable by propping his body against the headboard, next to where she lay.

'What do you want to talk about?' he asked

'I don't know, not today though'

'Maybe that's what we should talk about'

'I don't know'

'We need to talk about what to do next, when Maggie arrives' he clarified

She sniffed and he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which he gave her.

'I suggested she stay at the apartment with Eric' Carter continued

'Uh huh. I'm sorry I couldn't go back there, not with him, not after yesterday'

'It's okay you don't have to explain, there's plenty of room here' he added with a smile and she couldn't help but return it slightly.

'I don't think I can go back there 'til he's gone. Wherever he's going, back with Mom, off somewhere else. I don't really care'

'Yes you do, you know you do' he said

She looked back at him the tears glistening in her eyes once more and suddenly he felt bad for her.

'You should get some sleep' he added thinking that things often looked clearer in the morning, although this was more complicated than most things.

She nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a light tapping on the door and Carter open his eyes and wondered why he couldn't move his body. Then he realised that sometime during the night he must have climbed under the covers and now Abby was sleeping in his arms. Which felt good, right somehow. The knocking came again, more urgently this time and he edged Abby off him gently and got up to see who was at the door.

'Dr Carter' said Martha the housekeeper

'Yes' he said still trying to wake fully

'There's a Maggie Wyczenski on the telephone for your friend Abby'

'Thank you I'll take the call' he replied walking into his room and picking up the handset.

'Maggie' he said

'Oh John'

'You here already?' he asked

'No, we're just on a stop' she replied

'Okay call me when you get into Chicago and I'll come pick you up'

'John, she's okay isn't she?' Maggie asked 'My daughter'

'She will be' he answered

'But you didn't admit here into the hospital?'

'No, but she's not good either'

'And Eric, he's okay'

'Not really, it'll be better when you get here, you can see for yourself'

'Yes, yes I'm sure you're right, I'm running out of change, I have to go, send Abby my love' and sure enough the money credit expired and she was cut off.

Carter sighed he had a feeling that it was going to be a very long and tiring day. So to set himself up for it he headed into the bathroom for a long relaxing shower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter was drinking coffee in the kitchen when the phone rang again.

'Hi' he said answering it almost immediately

'Carter' said Susan 'I heard what happened, is she okay?'

'What do you think? Actually she's still sleeping'

'Is there anything I can do?'

'Not right now'

'Look if you need me, if she needs me, call right?'

'Uh huh'

'Promise me Carter?'

'Yes Susan I promise'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby and Carter finally met up with Maggie afternoon, as they decided that the sooner something was sorted out the better.

Maggie make the error of hugging Abby when she first saw her, causing Abby to yelp in pain, Maggie was very contrite, she had been so pleased to see her daughter, she had forgotten about her injuries.

After spending a couple of hours with her daughter Carter took Maggie to the apartment to see Eric who was surprisingly sober. Carter left them as they had a lot to discuss.

The following day Carter had a shift and it was during this time that Maggie and Eric paid Abby a visit. Abby was not overly happy to see them and thought about asking Martha to stay in the room, but decided against it as she couldn't do much in an emergency except dial 911.

It was tense, a traumatic air hung in the room and Abby refused to look at her brother, who was sitting next to Maggie looking rather like a small child.

Maggie broke the silence talking for Eric who for once didn't mind. He had reached a point where he realised that he needed help badly, for if in his right frame of mind he would never have hurt Abby for the world and being sober the past two days had clarified that somewhat. That and talking to his mother, she had shared some of her feelings that she had as a younger woman with him, a younger woman with an illness she didn't want or wasn't sure how to control.

This had helped the pair of them somewhat and Maggie knew more now of how to approach her daughter. Maggie had been surprised that Carter was not there, but in a way was glad as she felt that what she was going to say might be easier if Abby was alone. She, Maggie was happy that Abby still had Carter to talk to especially as she felt that right now her main priority was Eric. Abby couldn't wait to see the back of them at the present time, she needed time to comes to terms with everything that had occurred the past couple of days. 

When they finally left it was decided that Eric was to go back with Maggie. Eric agreed to enrol himself on a programme and Abby felt that that was a start. Although she couldn't quite find it within herself to forgive him, everything was still too raw, but she knew that trying a programme again was a good step forward and at least he would be away from Chicago so that she could get back to her apartment and normality again. Part of her worried that it was only a matter of time before Eric and Maggie fell out again, she really hoped that this time Eric would make it work, would try hard to stay on his meds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter felt sad a week or so later when Abby finally moved out back into her apartment, he had gotten used to having her around. She had insisted that although Eric was now back with Maggie that she wouldn't feel safe until the locks had been changed, just in case any of Eric's 'friends' had a key or something.

'You want someone to stay tonight? I can ask Susan?' Carter asked dropping her off home

'No I have to do this' she replied

'I'll help you with your stuff' he said and they walked to her apartment together.

'You could stay for a coffee?' she suggested not really wanting to be on her own right away.

'Sure, but my shifts starts in an hour'

'Okay'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he was leaving she stopped him 'John?'

'What?'

She nervously bit her lip 'I just wanted to say thank you, for everything'

He smiled turned back into the apartment and gave her a gentle hug before leaving saying 'You're welcome'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She couldn't sleep; she looked at the clock, ten minutes since the last time she had looked. She got up.

She found herself in a 24/7 store looking at the gin and vodka. She reached out and touched a bottle. Then she thought of Eric and what the drinking did to him. She thought of herself, before and she turned on her heel and walked out of the store.

She sat in the room, there were not many people there it was late. She sat and listened as people stood up and told their stories and was pleased that she hadn't given in and bought a bottle of drink.

She walked home from the meeting feeling better about herself, let herself in and went to bed. She slept.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	14. Chapter Fourteen

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Fourteen

Two months later

Abby had just come off the phone to Maggie who was still trying to persuade her daughter to talk to Eric whom she said was trying really hard to stay on his meds this time when doorbell rang, sighing deeply she got up and answered it.

'Hi' said Susan barrelling into to the apartment laden with Daniel and baby paraphernalia 'Here' she thrust the baby into Abby's arms and disappeared down the stairs.

Abby was still getting over the shock when Susan returned with yet more of Daniel's things.

'Susan? What?' Abby managed to say

'Abby I need a favour a really big favour, I need you to look after Daniel, for a few days, a week or so, ten days max, I promise. I've got a problem, a big problem with Chloe and Susie and I have to go sort it out. If I could take him with me I would. But it wouldn't be practical'

Noticing Abby's somewhat stunned expression she continued. 'Don't worry about work I've sorted it'

'What?' croaked Abby 'I can't have any more time off, after the sick leave I had'

'Oh no, I explained the situation and they rearranged your shifts so you only work days and Daniel can go to day care at County, then at the weekend Chuck will come here and pick him up Friday night and drop him back Sunday evening, both weekends, if I'm away that long, but I'll try to get back sooner'

Whilst Abby stood there with her mouth open with the shock of everything, Susan kissed Daniel goodbye and left.

'Thanks I owe you one' she shouted as she went down the stairs. Abby was still standing in the doorway to her apartment when Susan came back.

'Car seat, oh and he was changed a couple of hours ago but I gave him tea so he just needs a feed in about an hour, sometimes he sleeps through sometimes not. I wrote down a guide of his routine, it's in with the bottles and some cash if you need more food, diapers that sort of thing' she said, gave Daniel another kiss and hurried away yelling 'I'll call everyday'

Abby looked at Daniel who seemed content enough in her arms.

'I guess we'd better sort your stuff then' she said to the baby and walked into her apartment shutting the door with her foot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

First she sat Daniel in the car seat and found a rattle for him to play with, then she sorted out the bags that Susan had brought over with bottles, infant formula, baby food, clothes, diapers and so forth. She looked at the travel cot and decided that it would be a good idea to assemble that while he was still happy and make it up ready for bedtime.

She was in the middle of bathing him in the sink when the doorbell rang, again. Picking the towel with one hand she wrapped it round the baby and carried him with her to answer the door.

'Carter' she said looking at his stunned expression, much like she had looked earlier she supposed. 'Come in' 

In the midst of all that was happening she had forgotten that he was coming over with videos and pizza that evening for a chat. He followed her round the apartment as she finished bathing the baby and getting him ready for bed, whilst she filled Carter in on the situation.

They eventually sat down with Daniel on her lap and ate the pizza before it got completely cold.

'Sorry' she said between mouthfuls.

'About what?'

'This' she indicated the baby 'I'm still in shock, she didn't even call first'

'Maybe she thought you'd have time to say no'

'Perhaps'

'Kind of ruined our evening, I know you wanted to talk, somehow I don't think that's going to happen'

'We can still watch a movie'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That comment Abby decided later was Carter's famous last words, he got to watch the movie but Daniel was decidedly unsettled. Happy though he was to be with Abby, he was not used to anyone except Susan or maybe Chuck putting him to bed. Especially in a strange apartment.

'Okay what did I miss?' Abby said sitting down a couple of hours later

'All of this movie' Carter answered 'this is almost the end'

'Oh maybe I can catch the next one'

'I'd suggest you catch some sleep while you can' he answered

'You're leaving? I've just sat down'

'Yeah and you look exhausted, you have to work tomorrow you know'

'Don't remind me'

'It'll be better if I go' he said standing and collecting his things together

'Okay' she bit her lip, not really looking forward to having to care for the baby by herself

'It'll be okay' he said noting her expression 'Call me if you need to, okay?'

She nodded but deep down knew that he didn't want to be round Daniel, not that it was Daniel particularly, but babies generally, specifically boys.

'Don't get up, I'll see myself out. See you at work' he said letting himself out.

Which left Abby sitting there wondering if it was all a dream and that she would soon wake up. When the baby started crying she realised that it was real, very, very real.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning she felt like a zombie she finally decided as she sat on the El with Daniel and a bag of stuff which if she was going away would have done her for a week. The morning has started badly and early, too early for her liking and then the car wouldn't start she knew she would have to take the El. She looked at all the things she needed to take and in the end opted not to take the stroller as the El station was only minutes away from the hospital.

Carrying everything and the baby was not easy and he was not a small baby. Carter caught up with her as she approached the ambulance bay.

'Want me to take something?' he asked

She was tempted to put the wriggling infant in his arms but chose the bag, which he slung over his shoulder and she found that it was much easier without it.

'Something you haven't been telling us?' said Pratt from the desk as Abby and Carter walked in.

Abby gave him a 'don't mess with me today look' and Pratt walked off chuckling to himself.

'You want me to come up with you?' Carter asked not really wanting to but offering anyway.

Abby shook her head and he gave her the bag back and she headed to the elevator.

'What happening?' Jing-Mei asked Carter

'Susan had to go away for a few days and chose Abby to take care of Daniel'

'What about Chuck?'

'Chuck is having him at the weekends'

'Oh, she looked stressed. Abby.' Jing-Mei continued

'Yeah I don't think she got much sleep and her car wouldn't start'

'She took him on the El, that was brave' said Sam

'You didn't offer to pick her up then?' said Randi

'Well no I... I said to call if she needed a hand' he stuttered

'As if she'd do that, said Chuny 'she usually gets on with things herself'

'Yeah' Carter muttered under his breath, feeling a bit guilty at the same time. Not realising that he would be confronting his emotions on the subject of children sooner than he imagined.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later

Abby plopped down on the sofa after seeing Chuck and Daniel out.

'I guess we can talk tonight' Carter said 'If you can keep awake that long'

'Ha' she replied 'I can keep awake fine'

'Yeah right' he answered smiling fondly at her

'Did we order food?' she asked

'Yeah I ordered some when Chuck was leaving'

'Oh. Good. I'm starving'

'Well this is a great conversation' he said grinning at her

'When I've eaten' she told him 'I'll feel revitalised'

He just looked at her and smiled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Okay, you've eaten, feel revitalised?' Carter asked

'Some' she replied

'How's it going?'

'What?'

'You and Daniel?'

'I don't know how Susan manages alone'

'She's not alone, she's got Chuck' Carter stated

'But they don't live together. Daniel hasn't slept through once since he's been here. I bet for Chuck he will though'

'Probably'

'Is that why you've been avoiding me?' she asked him

'What do you mean?'

' 'Cause Daniel's here?'

'You know me too well' Carter answered not looking at her.

'Maybe. But that's good right?'

He looked at her and nodded 'Yeah'

'You still don't want to be near him?'

'Who?' Carter said being intentionally evasive.

'Daniel. I mean, is it still painful?'

'Yeah. Sometimes, if I think about it too much. Sometimes when I get home and I'm on my own I start thinking. What if? It's not as bad as it was. I really wanted to be a dad though'

'You still can'

'Perhaps, one day'

'I guess if we're being honest with each other...' she stopped mid sentence then said 'Never mind it doesn't matter'

'Yes it does, what?' he replied intrigued

'Oh kids you know'

'That you're scared to have them? Yeah I know'

'Not exactly. I was scared, scared they'd be like Maggie or I would be like Maggie'

'You saying that you're not scared now?'

'No. What I'm saying is, if I felt six years ago like I feel now, things, my life might be different. I might have had my baby'

'What?' he did a double take at her.

She shrugged 'Yeah well I could have been a mother, but I was too frightened. Stupid huh?'

'No. What happened?' he said needing to hear her tell him.

'I had an abortion'

'Do you regret it?'

'Sometimes. It would have complicated things with Richard'

'Maybe'

'I sometimes look at kids and wonder, like you a bit I guess. Wonder what if, what if I'd kept the baby. Would I be a good mother? What would my child be like?' she whispered

'You' he answered and traced his finger down the inside of her arm.

'And Richard'

'Especially you' he said smiling at her

She returned the smile but it was wistful.

'Are you ready now?' he asked

'For what?'

'To be a mother?'

She shrugged 'It's hardly likely to happen now. I'm young, free and single, well free and single anyway' Even as she said it she knew deep down that she wasn't even free and single. Just single, because to be free, she would have to not, love John Carter.

'You're not that old'

'You're just saying that because we're the same age and you don't want to sound old'

'Maybe. You know what, I'll try harder next week?'

'With what?'

'Daniel. Give you a hand'

'Really?'

He nodded

'That would be great' she turned and gave him a hug and they settled down to watch a movie together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following week

Abby looked out of the window it was a fine day and after having been cooped up in her apartment all morning she decided that it would do both of them, good to get some fresh air. Both of them being herself and Daniel. She had got used to the routine and him being with her, with Susan calling every evening usually around nine to see how it all was going.

Susan had nearly finished with her family problems and would be heading home soon, she had told Abby the previous evening. Abby felt sad in a way, having the apartment to herself again would be odd, quiet somehow.

Carter had been true to his word and even came over to baby-sit a couple of nights ago so that she, Abby could pop to a meeting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frustrated Abby stopped turning the key in the ignition, she would have to get another car or get rid of this one and not bother with a car at all. It wasn't as if she needed it much in any case and the times she did it was unlikely to start anyway. Sighing she got out and retrieved the stroller and sat Daniel in it telling him that they would have to walk to the store instead of going to the park.

She briskly walked down the street when all of a sudden a car pulled up.

'Hi' Carter said winding down the window 'Going somewhere good?'

'No' she snapped still annoyed with her car not him, but her irritation came through nonetheless.

'What's up?' he asked jumping out and walking beside her as she continued down the street.

'My car'

'Oh' he mouthed 'Where were you going?'

'To the park, but I need to get some grocery shopping too, so now the car's not starting we're just going to do that'

'We could go in my car?' he suggested

'The car seat is still in my car'

'No problem I'll go get it and fix it in the jeep'

'You know how?'

'No you could help'

She smiled slowly 'Okay, thank you'

And they went back the way they had come from Carter driving back to Abby's apartment and Abby walking with Daniel to her car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'You're hands are freezing' he commented as he handed her a coffee from the stand in the park.

'Forgot my gloves' she said

'Here' he said putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out his 'Have mine'

'What about you?'

'I can do this' he said putting one hand back into his coat pocket, the other was closed round the polystyrene cup of coffee.

'Or you could have your gloves, push the stroller and I could put my hands in my pockets'

'I could'

'Thank you' she said smiling 'How was work?'

'Busy, one trauma after another, bet you're glad you had a day off'

'Mmmmm'

'He's quiet all of a sudden'

Abby looked at the baby 'He's sleeping finally' she said

'Finally?'

'Yeah, he's been awake since two am, in fact we've both been awake since two am'

'Oh'

'That's all you can say 'oh' '

He laughed 'Maybe I got the better deal, working'

'I don't know Susan's back soon. I'm going to miss him'

They stood there in a comfortable silence as they finished their drinks.

''If we go now we can get to the store before he wakes up, it will be easier to shop then'

'You're sure?'

'Trust me' she replied and they went back to the jeep and then onto the store.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They didn't notice Susan when they finally pulled up at Abby's apartment a short while later, engrossed, as they were with each other, with Carter reliving some childhood incident, which Abby found extremely amusing.

Susan looked at the pair of them wondering if anything has happened whilst she had been away.

Stepping to meet them she said 'Hi guys'

They stopped, surprised to see her.

'Thought you said you'd call, when you were coming back?' Abby said

'I wanted it to be a surprise and I really missed Daniel. Did I miss anything good?' Susan asked referring to Carter and Abby.

Abby however took her to mean with Daniel 'Oh well he's been cutting teeth since you left. He spends half the time awake, when he's supposed to be sleeping'

Under her breath Susan muttered 'That's not what I meant'

But she took her son from Carter who had gotten him out of the car.

'Hey beautiful' she said to her son hugging and kissing him as Abby and Carter looked at them thoughtfully. 'Well?'

'What?' said Carter and Abby together

'Did anything else happen, to anyone else?' she tried to clarify what she meant.

Carter and Abby looked at each other.

Abby shook her head and said 'No I don't think so, but then I've been kind of busy with Daniel, Carter?'

'No can't think of anything. You'd be better to ask Frank or Jerry tomorrow they know what's going on better than anyone else.

'Oh' said Susan disappointed, thinking that it was about time that her friends who stood before her sorted themselves out in respect the their relationship with each other which was obviously still only friendship in their eyes at least. Susan knew that she knew better.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	15. Chapter Fifteen

AN; If you are still reading thank you.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Fifteen

January 2005

'He said no' said Caroline coming to admit

'There's a surprise' replied Frank

'I won't stop trying' she added

'It's a waste of time' Frank told her 'I told you he'd say no'

'Who would say no?' asked Pratt

'Caroline asked Carter out' said Frank

'On a date?' said Pratt

'Yes. How many times had he turned you down now? Five? Six?' Frank added.

'More like ten, he says thank you, but no, every time'

'If it's any consolation I keep asking Abby out and she turns me down every time' said James Wright then to Frank he added 'When I've finished this' indicating some form he was filling out 'I'll be upstairs in that meeting with Dr Weaver, page me if you need me'

'You two haven't a hope in hell' Susan said joining in the conversation. 'Besides tonight they're going out together'

'What on a date?' asked Frank

'No unfortunately, I don't think so. It's Abby's birthday but I know for a fact that they're going out for dinner'

'You sure it's not a date?' asked Pratt

'Sure I'm sure. I quizzed then both separately and they swear that they are just good friends'

'They've never been just good friends, even when they were dating other people. There was always something there between them' said Malik, then to Susan he added 'sorry'

'Don't be' she replied

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later Dr Wright caught up with Abby as he exited the elevator.

'I hear congratulations are in order' he said

'Pardon?' she replied

'Happy birthday, it is your birthday right?'

'Yeah' she said suspiciously

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile Carter stood at the other end of the corridor watching them.

'Jealous are we?' Susan asked

'What?' Carter said trying to act innocent

'Don't what me. You know perfectly well who I'm talking about. You'd better get your butt in gear before she actually accepts one of his offers for a date'

'What? She wouldn't do that'

'You're sure of that are you?'

'Yeah, pretty much'

'You talked about things together?'

'Well no, not really'

'Ever?'

'Ever what?'

Susan frowned at him 'You want to keep her you'll have to make a move in the right direction'

'She could say something'

'This is Abby we're talking about. Did you ever tell her?'

'What?'

'You know what. I can't remember exactly what I said but it was along the lines that you're desperately in love with her and can't live a day without her or words to that effect. Geez Carter how long ago was it we broke up, two, three years ago and you never told her that you love her'

'I said stuff'

'Obviously not the right stuff. Yelling that you want to marry her whilst a helicopter's landing up on the roof doesn't count. You have to tell her Carter before it's too late'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The waiter left their table after taking their order.

'What wrong John?' Abby asked concerned, as he seemed at bit off.

'Nothing' he replied

She looked at him he was miles away, in his own world. She reached across the table and took his fingers in hers. This encouraged him to look up but her gaze was now fixed on their entwined fingers. He took the time to study her, whilst reflecting his conversation with Susan earlier. Part of him however didn't want to break the silence or the contact that they were sharing at that particular moment.

'Tell me?' she said speaking softly but without looking at him.

'Er, Abby. I.... well..... It's nothing'

This time she looked at him with a puzzled expression across her face.

'You know what you kind of remind me of how you were that day when...' she stopped and regarded him then continued 'Never mind it doesn't matter'

'Yes it does, what day when?'

'The day you were going to propose and didn't'

'Oh, that day'

'See now I've spoilt everything by mentioning that'

He shook his head 'No you haven't'

They sat in silence again

'Abby, can I ask you a question?' she nodded and he continued 'James Wright, you like him?'

'What kind of question is that?'

He shrugged 'Just wondered'

'He's good at his job' she answered

'That's not what I meant' Carter replied

She smiled at him and said 'I know. I don't want to date him if that's what you're asking'

'He seems to like you'

'The feelings not mutual believe me, besides Caroline seems to have a soft spot for you' she said with a smile on her face.

'I don't want to date her' he said rather too hastily

She grinned again. 'You know there is this guy, I would like to date though'

'Really?' his heart began to hammer in his chest and he could feel himself start to panic.

'Yeah'

He looked up at her and she could see confusion in his eyes, whilst he could see that she was teasing him so he calmed down and decided to play along.

'So what's he like, this guy?'

'Oh you know he's a great guy'

'What does he do?'

'He's a doctor, I've known him a while, long time actually'

'That's good, has he got a name'

'I think you know what his name is'

He laughed and then grinned at her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Coffee?' she asked putting down her keys and purse along with her coat on the kitchen table

'Yeah' he replied from the lounge where he sat on the sofa.

She busied herself with making the drinks as he sat and watched her. Still going over in his mind the things that he had discussed with Susan earlier and then with Abby during dinner.

Standing he then moved into the kitchen to where Abby stood pouring the coffee. He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around.

'Carter?' she asked softly

'Sshhh'

She looked at him puzzled.

'I've got to say this' he explained

He looked at her intently and she wondered what was going on when suddenly he leant down and kissed her.

Somewhat breathlessly she said 'That's not talking Carter'

'No I've decided I don't want to talk after all'

And he kissed her again, she was just thinking that this was turning into one of her better birthdays when he pulled away.

'What? What's wrong?' she asked

'You sure about this?' he said

'Yes, you?'

He nodded and she took his hand and led him into the bedroom.

'It's more comfortable in here' she clarified, still rather hesitant as she was still unsure whether or not he was going to change his mind. She knew one thing for sure and that was that, she was not, going to change her, mind.

They stood there facing each other with the soft glow of light coming from the lounge. She reached up for the buttons on his shirt and he put his hand over hers.

'Abby' he said

'Yeah'

He said nothing.

'You want to stop?' she asked

'No. I want you to be sure. I don't want you to regret anything'

'That's not going to happen. I do regret maybe things not happening maybe sooner say a month or so ago, but I guess you weren't ready, so I was willing to wait'

'I think, I was ready the day I came round and Susan had dumped Daniel on you' he finally confessed

'Then why did we wait so long?' she asked

He shrugged. 

Then she said 'There's nobody I want to be with more on my birthday than the man I love'

Carter was somewhat stunned after his conversation with Susan earlier he hardly expected Abby to come out and tell him this. Abby however was more confident about everything than she used to be and felt that Carter needed to hear her say this as she usually shied away from such declarations.

He smiled at her before taking his hands away from hers and delving them deep into her hair and then they both sunk onto the bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Carter's happy this morning' said Jing-Mei to Jerry

'He's been like that for about a week or so' Jerry replied

'Any particular reason?' she asked

'The only one I can think of is' and he nodded his head in the direction of Abby.

'That can't be, I was talking with some of the nurses last week and they said that still nothing was happening'

'That was last week'

'Okay what do you know?'

'Nothing for sure, they've been on opposite shifts all week, so no proof or anything, but they both seem happier than usual'

'Except he still won't date me' said Caroline 'I am actually beginning to give up. There's a cute new guy in Gynie'

'Oh I've seen him' said Jing-Mei

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'Nothing but you're right, he's cute' Jing-Mei said then called out to Abby who was approaching 'What do you think of that new guy from Gynie?'

'There's a new guy, I hadn't noticed' she replied not aware of the look that was shared by Jing-Mei, Jerry and Caroline.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby and Carter sat by the river drinking coffee.

'Did you notice anything?' she asked 'Everyone kept staring at me as if I had a an extra nose growing out of my face or something'

'No' he replied 'I think you look pretty good. No seriously I kind of felt that way myself too. Don't worry about it'

'I'm not, so are you busy tonight?'

'I thought you would never ask'

She grinned at him as he reached over to tuck some stray strands of hair behind her ear before leaning in to kiss her. Unaware that they had a very interested audience.

'At last' Susan said to Daniel as they walked past then she added 'I'm going to have a lot to talk about at work, tomorrow'

And she did. Word spread like wildfire and eventually Carter and Abby overheard the nurses gossip for themselves.

'That didn't take long' Abby commented

'Oh I don't know' Carter added 'It was about a week, quite long really for this establishment'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	16. Chapter Sixteen

AN: Thank you for reviewing, it helps to know if I have anyone reading and if you like it. As you can see I haven't quite finished with this story yet as I feel that I still need to resolve a couple of issues that I have only touched on. Okay this chapter is quite short sorry, but sometimes that happens. 

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Sixteen

Feb 05

They walked side by side down the corridor, talking sharing a joke together. Abby spotted her first standing there, still unmoving, with the child in her arms. Carter noticed a change in Abby's expression and followed his gaze to where hers rested. He was shocked and he reached for Abby's hand and gripped it tightly. They stopped when they reached the woman and child.

'Hi John' said Kem to Carter 'Can we talk?'

Carter nodded in the direction of the lounge and they all walked in. Abby tried to let go of his hand and leave them to it but he only tightened the grip on hers.

The air was tense, fraught. Carter indicated to Kem to sit at one of the chairs at the table, which she did. The room was silent until the baby began to fuss. Abby got up and went over to Kem.

'Shall I take him outside? While you talk?' she asked

Kem looked up at Abby then at Carter and then back to Abby before handing over the boy. Abby spoke softly to him as she walked out the door shutting it behind her and taking him to admit.

Neither spoke they just sat there. Finally Carter said 'Well?'

'I've come to ask if you have us, me back, things just didn't work out'

Carter looked at her his expression blank, unreadable.

'I still love you' she continued 'I know he's not your son but I thought maybe we could work it out, you could grow to love him as your own son'

Carter stared at her wondering if this was a nightmare but knowing that it was not. There was a long moment of silence.

'It's too late' he answered

'You're back with her aren't you? She asked with a nod of her head, indicating Abby who they could see through the Venetian blinds.

Carter just nodded.

'Did you ever love me? She asked 'Did you ever stop loving her?'

'I thought I loved you, I really did. Things in Africa were different the way of life is different, I was different. But no, I guess I never really stopped loving her, even if at the time I thought I did, it's complicated there's something about Abby I can't....'

'Don't said Kem cutting him off mid sentence 'Don't say her name to me. Well what does she want from you?'

'What? What has that got to do with anything? She's not interested in my money, if that's what you're asking she never was, ever'

'Oh' she answered quietly as he was becoming rather uptight with her 'So I can't persuade you to change your mind' she said deciding to try again anyway 'We could have a good life in Africa together, make a difference there. You could raise him as your son' she added again indicating the baby who was still out in the hall with Abby.

'No. I'm not going to change my mind. You lied to me, let me believe that he was my son, that I was going to be a father'

'Is that all you cared about, being a father?'

'No, not at the time' there was a pause 'I'm sorry it's too late'

'So you're telling me that you're going to have children with her'

'No. Yes. Probably not. I don't know, it's complicated with Abby. It's not straightforward like it is with other people'

'So you said. Well that's it then, goodbye John'

She stood up, still looking at him, then turned and walked out stopping to take her son from Abby's arms on her exit. He didn't watch her go he just stared at the table.

When Abby looked into the lounge he was standing gazing into space and she went to see if he was okay.

She reached him and touched his arm and instinctively he knew it was her. He immediately turned and hugged her, drawing strength from her. They stood there for what seemed like ages but was only minutes.

'You okay?' she finally asked whispering in the stillness of the room

He nodded not moving out of the embrace

'Want to tell me about it?' she asked steering him to the sofa where they sat down close to one another. He linked his fingers with hers.

'What, what happened, tell me?'

So he did, more or less. But he still didn't tell her that he loved her. He wanted to but he felt that it was not the right time. Unfortunately he was not sure when the right time was, but he knew it wasn't in the lounge at work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	17. Chapter Seventeen

AN: Thanks if you have R & R. Now to move the story on a bit.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Seventeen

April 2005

He looked at the box; he opened it and looked inside, staring for long minutes. Susan was right; he had to tell her. Their relationship had to move on. He hoped that she wanted it to move on the same way he did. Not he had helped much by not telling her how it was with him, with her. He knew he couldn't carry on until he had told her everything, how he felt, what he wanted, needed, craved. He had to tell her how it was, would always be. It was just a bit scary, she had changed, he knew but he didn't know what he would do if she rejected him. The rational part of him knew what she wanted, but still after everything that had happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter sidled up to Abby as she moved away from admit.

'We have to talk. Tonight?' he suggested

'Sure' Abby answered, somewhat puzzled at his out of the blue comment, everything had been going really well, better than the first time in fact.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They sat opposite each other in Carter's kitchen drinking coffee, in a companionable silence, Carter wondering how to best start the conversation. Abby reflecting on their relationship and wondering what he was so worked up about.

'I've been thinking' Carter said 

'Did it hurt?' Abby asked

'Ha ha' he mouthed back at her then added 'I'm trying to have a serious conversation here'

'Sorry' she replied suitably apologetic and attentively she added 'You were saying'

'Abby, you know I love you. I know I never really say it'

'You've never said it, not to me anyhow'

'Well I'm saying it now. I love you Abby; it's like I've loved you forever. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We've been going round in circles for so long now and I want us to straighten the path out a bit. If you would just think about this'

'Have you been talking to Susan?' Abby asked thinking that it was only yesterday that Susan had said to Abby that it wasn't it about time she and Carter tied the knot.

'Not recently' he answered 'I want to marry you as soon as possible. We could go to Barbados, Antigua, someplace else you pick' it came out in a rush and he inwardly cringed thinking it wasn't the best wording he could have chosen.

'You want kids. What about that? I don't know if I could ever go through with it. Sometimes I think I can, other times I think not'

'I'd love to be a father you know that but I love you more. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know this seems a bit sudden' 

'Sudden! We've been as you said circling each other for years'

'Is that a yes?' then before she could reply he added 'To me this makes sense in my mad life, to be with you, to live my life with you. It's all I've ever wanted'

'I know you said you wanted to talk, but I didn't expect this' although she was surprised it was pleasantly surprised.

'I thought if we went out I'd lose my nerve or it would come out wrong or something. I mean this Abby, this is for real'

'For real? You sure?'

He nodded and almost inaudibly said 'Yes'

'There's nothing I'd like better. I agree I've known I wanted to be with you for a long time now. In fact by the time I realised it I thought it was too late. I thought I'd left it too late, that I had lost you' she admitted

'Life has a funny way of working out doesn't it?' he said

'You know that if you marry me you get my crazy family too?'

'And you get mine they're not that sane either'

She smiled and took his hands in hers across the breakfast bar.

'I love you' she told him

'Is that a yes?' he asked

'What?'

'Will you marry me?' he asked properly this time

'Yes' she replied.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was difficult but they managed to scrounge seven days leave together from James Wright for the following month. They spent their spare time frantically trying to organise everything. They told no one of their plans until the day they left when they told Susan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Where's Carter?' asked Luka

'He's not in' answered Pratt

'Abby either' joined in Neela

'Neither of them are in?' said Sam

'They've gone away' informed Susan joining the conversation

'Together?' asked Pratt

'Uh huh' said Susan

'Where did they go?' asked Neela

'Antigua' replied Susan

'Antigua?' chorused everyone

Without thinking Susan replied 'To get married' realising what she had said she added 'oops' and walked off leaving them staring at her with their mouths agape.

'I don't know why you're all so surprised' said Frank 'We all knew it would happen eventually'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the morning of the wedding Carter got ready and went down to the hotel lobby to wait for Abby. He was surprisingly calm and collected about the situation, knowing that he was doing, the best thing that he had done in a long time, perhaps ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stood in front of the mirror in the hotel room and smiled to herself happy that she was finally going to be with the one man who made her life complete.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He couldn't believe how beautiful his bride looked when she eventually met him at the front of the hotel sometime later.

'Ready?' he asked wanting badly to kiss her but deciding that he could wait a few more minutes to do so.

'Yeah' she replied softly gazing intently into his eyes.

Joining hands they went to the beach where they had organised for the ceremony to occur. It was a quiet ceremony with absolutely no guests, just the registrar and two witnesses that had been selected on their behalf. Which was exactly the way they wanted it.

Without Jack giving his opinion, without Eleanor giving hers. Without Maggie getting over excited and without Eric doing something that he might regret at a later date. They both knew that they would have a lot of explaining to do on their return to Chicago.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The two witnesses stood there wondering why a lovely couple as these two seemed to be, were, on one of the most important days of their lives was getting married without any friends or family present. It seemed a shame that there was no one else to share this important moment with them.

It didn't appear to bother the couple who if truth be known were too wrapped up in each other to notice if they were a hundred guests present or not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter and Abby sat on the beach together watching the early morning sun glisten on the water. The white foam of the sea was softly lapping against the golden sand. They sat close, quietly reflecting the past seven days that they had spent as one, with no interruptions from their usual life.

'Ready to head home?' he asked

'I guess, can't stay here forever' she murmured

'Did I ever tell you that I love you?' he asked

'Not today' she replied leaning in to kiss him.

Some while later he sighed then said 'I suppose we've got a lot of explaining to do when we get back'

'Not at work though'

'What do you mean?' he asked

'You really believe Susan has managed to keep it a secret?' Abby answered

He looked at her, still not quite believing that she was now his wife and said 'No you're right, I guess not. We'd better go if we're going to catch the flight'

He stood up and held his hands out to her, when she grasped them he pulled her up, they walked hand in hand along the beach back to the hotel to collect their possessions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	18. Chapter Eighteen

AN: Thank you to everyone who commented on my last chapter. Sorry I was so long updating, been a bit busy, anyway here's the next part of the story.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Eighteen

'What?' asked Jack then listened to Carter as he explained and deciding that it was a good thing. He had always liked Abby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'What?' exclaimed Eleanor then listening as Carter explained and decided that if she had had anything to do with it, she would have chosen someone she thought more suitable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'What?' said Maggie, stunned as Abby gently told her what had happened. Maggie was somewhat hurt that she hadn't been invited, but loving her daughter as she did she finally came round. Even if her daughter didn't realise how much her mother loved her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'What?' said Abby answering the phone to talk to a seemingly rational Eric who was the only family member who seemed openly and unreservedly happy for them. Abby had vowed months ago never to talk to him again. But she found that having a conversation with him over the telephone when he was hundreds of miles away manageable. She knew however the situation between herself and her brother was not yet completely resolved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some weeks later

Abby sneezed and blew her nose.

'Don't bring your germs over this way' said Frank

Abby glared at him, tipped her head up to the ceiling and then back down again, staring into space as she rubbed her ear.

'Still ill?' Susan enquired concerned for her friend

'Susan?' Abby asked not answering Susan's question

'What?'

'Do me a favour when you're not busy?'

'If I can, what?'

'Take a look in my right ear'

'You still got that earache, that's been like a week'

'Yeah I thought it was part of the cold, which is better'

'You've just sneezed over everyone how can it be better?' said Frank

'It's better than it was' Abby answered 'Do you have to listen to my private conversations?'

'If you want to have private conversations, don't have them here. I can't help it if I hear what you're saying'

Irritated with him she turned away.

Susan said 'Here; I'll look now' and the pair of them went to the lounge. 'Well' said Susan 'How can I put this'

'Otis media?' suggested Abby

'You took the words right out of my mouth, You ought to take a course of antibiotics, it's pretty inflamed'

'Sure' she replied wearily.

'Hey it's not that bad you'll feel better in a couple of days'

Abby smiled at her

'Okay okay I know it's dumb saying that to you. On a brighter note...'

Susan went to her locker came back and handed Abby an envelope. 'For you and Carter' said Susan handing Abby an envelope 'Say you'll both come'

Abby took the card out it read:

Dear Carter and Abby

My Mommy and Daddy are having a picnic in

the park to celebrate my 1st birthday

on Sunday July 24th

I would love for you to come and

share my special day with me

Lots of love

Daniel

RSVP to my Mommy or Daddy

'Mmmm I'm sure that it'll be okay I'm off this Sunday, Carter's working in the morning though'

'Good' said Susan 'Daniel would be sad if two of his favourite people couldn't be there, and I need some moral support, Chuck still wants to be a 'proper' family. It's just not something I want'

The door of the Lounge suddenly swung open.

'Frank said you two were hiding in here' said Carter

'I'm just about to get back to work' informed Susan, 'she needs

antibiotics make sure she takes them', off Carters expression she added 'For her ear'. She turned round just as she was exiting the door, seeing them share a brief kiss and added with a grin on her face 'Don't stay in here too long together people will be wondering what you're up too'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The picnic in the park was going well. There were babies of all ages and children enjoying themselves, with adults enjoying the food and the company of other adults. Susan was surprised, when she had first thought about this she didn't realise that Daniel knew so many people. Of course she had invited her friends from work too, there was Luka, Sam, Alex, Elizabeth and Ella, Kerry and Henry and Abby, mixed with others friends and family mostly Chuck's. In fact the only family she had there apart from her son was her father. All to celebrate Daniel's first birthday.

Susan looked over to her friend who was sitting alone on a rug watching some older kids play baseball. Carter was supposed to be here after his shift, looking at her watch Susan realised that he was running late.

When he finally arrived he was in a gregarious frame of mind. He even gave Daniel a hug and made a fuss of him. Which surprised Susan no end.

'Carter?' asked Susan 'Can I have a word?'

'Yeah, sure what's up?' he replied as they moved away from everyone.

'Is everything okay with you and Abby?'

'Yeah everything's great. Why? What's this about? Where is she anyway? I haven't seen her yet'

'There' pointed Susan to where Abby still sat alone.

'How long has she been there?'

'She chatted with the guys from work for a while then she sat down'

'Really'

'Yeah'

'Has she eaten?' 

Susan answered 'I don't think so'

'I'll take her some food' he said and went to gather some onto a plate.

'Good' said Susan to herself going back to see Daniel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Hey' he said sitting down beside Abby and giving her a kiss which she returned. He then offered her the plate of food and she chose a chicken drumstick and began picking off strips of meat and eating them. 'What you doing here?' he asked

'Watching the baseball'

'Susan's worried, she thought we'd had a fight or something'

'Oh well I guess I've been a bit anti-social'

'Why?'

'No reason'

'It's supposed to be me who feels all melancholy' 

'Are you?'

'No'

She looked at him and smiled 'I've been sociable and now I'm not' she paused then added 'Everyone seems to be with someone, I guess I was feeling kind of lonely'

He raised his eyebrows at her and said 'Is that so?'

'Yeah'

'Uh huh'

'But you're here now'

'Uh huh' he repeated moving closer, sneaking his arm round her shoulders.

'Can you say anything else?' she asked

'Uh huh' he said with a grin

With that she playfully hit him on the arm.

In the background Susan announced that they were going to cut the birthday cake.

'Shall we?' he asked offering her his hand and pulling her up as they went over to where everyone gathered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They all sang 'Happy Birthday' and laughed at Daniel's attempt to blow the candles out, fortunately he was helped by one of his cousins on his father's side of the family.

Abby somehow got involved with the distribution of the cake, which took some time. Susan then handed her Daniel.

'I promised him a swing in the playground' she said

'Why don't I clear up then you can do it?'

'No, some things belong to various different people, it'll be better this way'

To Susan she said 'Okay', to Daniel she said 'Come on let's go' whilst looking round for Carter who was by this time engrossed in a serious conversation with Luka.

They spent twenty minutes or so in the play park when suddenly a woman with a baby a similar age stopped them and said 'Your little boy is so cute, how old is he?'

'Well... I... he.... erm' she muttered 'He's one, but I'm not his mother' she managed 'Just doing my friend a favour'

'That's a shame, for you. You seem really great with kids. You want them?'

'I don't know' she answered truthfully

'Sorry it's none of my business' suddenly her child began to wail 'I think I'd better get going' she told Abby picking up her son and bundling him into the stroller.

Which left Abby standing there with Daniel, pondering on her life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	19. Chapter Nineteen

AN: Thank you if you have reviewed. 

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Nineteen

A couple of weeks later

The ER was slammed, Carter felt as though he had spent the past twelve hours in one of the two trauma rooms. In fact he hadn't seen his wife all day, the fact that their shifts were different hadn't helped, but as he glanced at the clock he noticed that her shift had in fact started over two hours ago. Now he was preparing to leave, she had another twenty two to do and by that time he would already be back in the place they called work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Abby can you take this patient' said Pratt, it wasn't a question but a statement.

'What? I'm juggling twelve already' She examined the chart he handed her. 'Oh no, not another one, do you know how many allergic reaction patients I've seen on this shift?'

'While you see to them I can take the MVA coming in' he replied walking off

'Don't take it personally' said Sam 'It's because he's trying to impress Trinity'

'Who?'

'Trinity's another new nurse' Sam said indicating the new nurse.

'Another one?'

'Yeah'

'Dr Carter, Dr Carter' said a patient coming up to the admit desk and scratching his neck. 'I can't stop this itching'

'One moment Mr O'Leary' she said 'I'll be right there.' She sighed heavily and raised her eyebrows to the ceiling, then to Sam she said 'If I have to take one more allergy patient I'll scream. Poison ivy, poison oak, nettle rash, bee stings, wasp stings, insect bites, then there's sunburn, sun stroke and unsafe use of the barbecue, it's driving me mad'

'It's the weather' Sam commented

'Mmmmm' Abby answered clearly unimpressed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

'Mrs Sherrill how can I help you?' Abby asked relieved that she had a patient who hadn't been spending too long in the great outdoors.

'Well I don't know where to start' she replied.

Abby had already decided that Mrs Sherrill was a very nervy woman who seemed to require a lot of reassurance.

'What symptoms have you experienced?' Abby asked

'I think it's my time' she told Abby

'Time? Time for what?' Abby answered thinking of a few 'times' it could be. She glanced at the chart and noted that the patient was in her early forties.

'How do you feel now?' Abby asked

'Unwell'

'How unwell? Try and describe it to me'

'Well you know it's difficult to talk about'

Abby inwardly sighed, this was going to take time, time she didn't have for one patient although now she was only juggling eight including Mrs Sherrill.

'Would you prefer to talk to a male doctor?' Abby asked

'No, no I want to talk to you'

'Good'

Mrs Sherrill beckoned Abby closer. Abby sensing the woman's embarrassment closed the curtain to give her some more privacy.

Finally Mrs Sherrill declared 'I think I'm menopausal, I feel quite unusual. I feel like crying all the time, I haven't had my period in weeks and I have to go to the bathroom frequently'

'Could you be pregnant?' Abby asked

'Oh, you think that's possible?'

'Have you done anything that might result in a pregnancy?'

'You know I hadn't thought about that, I just thought my time had come' she paused thinking 'Yes Dr...' she paused again looking at Abby's ID 'Dr Carter, it is possible. I've never really thought about it before I haven't had any children, I've never married'

'So you're not Mrs Sherrill?' Abby queried

'No, yes. Well I call myself that you see. Miss sounds old fashioned and I don't like Ms so I use Mrs, of course Mother doesn't like it'

Abby tried to get her patient back on to the topic 'So it's technically possible that you could be pregnant?'

'You promise you won't tell my mother?'

Abby frowned and said 'Everything you tell me is confidential'

'Then yes' Mrs Sherrill said 'Mother wouldn't like it if she knew I'd slept with a man' then she whispered 'She likes to know where I am, what I'm doing, where I'm going. I didn't tell her I was coming here. She thinks I'm at work, I'm a cashier at a bank'

Abby gave a little sigh, wishing her shift was over 'When was the date of your last period?'

'Oh' Mrs Sherrill thought about this and said 'About ten weeks ago, that's why I thought it was the menopause, that and putting on a little weight'

'Right' Abby replied writing on the chart 'I'll find a nurse and we can run some tests to see if you're pregnant'

'Yes, thank you, you're so kind. I think however that if I am pregnant my mother might throw me out'

'You live with her?' Abby asked amazed.

'Yes, she can't manage alone, she's nearly eighty and riddled with arthritis'

'I'm sorry' Abby told her 'I'll be back later, okay' and giving her patient a supportive smile she left. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby walked quickly out of the room her mind on Mrs Sherrill and met with Carter in the corridor.

'You're back already' she said glancing at her watch

'Having fun?' he asked

'No not really. Pratt's been passing all the summer fun patients to me, except this one' she said indicating her last patient.

He bit his lip and looked up and down the corridor before taking her hand and dragging her to the drug lock up.

'What are you doing?' she asked him.

'Quit talking and kiss me' he said surprising her again

'Is that an order?' she teased

'I missed you' he told her 'I haven't seen you since yesterday or was it the day....'

She cut him off mid sentence as her mouth covered his and they shared a much longed for moment until James Wright banged his fist on the window and indicated that they assemble with him in the corridor.

When facing him, he then proceeded to tell them what he thought of their behaviour. They were still standing there rather embarrassed when Susan came along.

'You know the disabled bathroom is pretty good for that kind of thing' she told them

'It was just a kiss' protested Abby

'Really?' replied Susan 'He yelled at the pair of you like that for a kiss? I thought you both were at least well, you know'

'There are different types of kissing' said Yosh passing by

'Well?' Susan asked Carter and Abby

'It was I haven't seen my wife for a couple of days kind of kiss'

'Oh' Susan said laughing 'Remember the disabled bathroom for next time'

'Thanks' said Abby dryly knowing that it was going to take a while to live the incident down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Mrs Sherrill' Abby said later 'Your results are back'

'What did they show?' she asked

'The pregnancy test was positive'

'I'm pregnant, not menopausal?'

Abby nodded and said 'Yes'

'My mother is going to be so mad'

'Have you got any one else you can confide in?'

'There's Hartley, my boyfriend' she said shyly and blushing like a beetroot.

'You've been seeing him long?'

'Oh yes, when Mother first met him she banned me from ever dating him again, but we couldn't stop so we meet in secret'

'How long ago was that?'

'When I was eighteen, twenty five years ago'

Abby looked at her patient unbelievingly and answered 'You think she might have changed her mind since then?'

'No, every time she mentions men, she says she's so grateful I never got together with Hartley'

'Sometimes we have to do things that are right for us. Whether they may please the people we love or not. It maybe this time for you and Hartley to start your lives together'

'It's just so difficult with Mother. Do you have trouble with your Mother?'

Abby smiled 'Ah well it's complicated with my Mother. She lives in Minnesota with my brother'

'Your brother takes care of your Mother?'

'No actually it's more of the other way round, but as I said it's complex' moving the conversation back to her patient she added 'You want to keep the baby?'

'Oh yes I think so. I didn't think I'd ever be a mother. It's something that has never crossed my mind what with taking care of Mother and everything. Are you a mother?'

'No' Abby said quietly shaking her head.

'You know I don't know how I'm going to manage I mean the baby will come first. My Mothers used to being the most important person in my life'

'You know what my Mom told me once and believe me it took me a long time to act upon her advice and giving advice was never high on her list of priorities but this advice I've always remembered. She told me that if you don't take a chance you'll miss out on all the great things. Everyone deserves great things, don't you think?'

'Definitely. I will think about what you've said. Do you think I could call Hartley?'

'Sure I'll organise it for you'

They shared a smile and then Abby left the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby was still mulling over Mrs Sherrill as she drove home for some much needed and deserved sleep. She eventually discharged her after going through all the relevant information, talking about tests she could have and performing a sonogram to make sure everything looked okay. Not paying full attention to the road ahead, when she refocused she had to slam the brakes on hard to prevent hitting the car in front. Shaken she spent the remainder of the journey concentrating on the task in hand until she pulled up in the driveway. Where she soon became immersed in her thought once more.

Hartley had been concerned, worried and overjoyed all wrapped up into one Abby mused. Pausing in her thoughts she had a moment of panic and searched through her purse until she located her diary. She flicked thought the pages, saw what she was looking for and realised that she too was late, six days late. The last time this had happened she had been married to Richard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She set the test down on the side of the sink and exited the bathroom. Carter sat on the edge of the bed waiting for her. He raised one eyebrow as if to ask 'well?'

'Two minutes' she answered

She sat beside him; they both were lost in their own thoughts. Despite this he reached over and laced his fingers with hers and remembered their conversation from earlier.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was exhausted when he came home from his shift and the first thing he did was take a long shower which always revived him. She was sitting on the bed pretty much where he was now when he finally came out from having the shower. She looked nervous and there was something else, which he was unable to describe.

'What?' he asked sitting beside her

She bit her lip and said 'I'm late?'

'Late? Late for what?'

She looked at him, a look which said 'don't be so dense' then she said 'I think next time I have to take antibiotics we need to follow the drug leaflet and use extra protection to the pill'

'Oh' he said 'That kind of late? Are you sure?'

'No, I just thought about it. Today I had this patient who got me thinking' she said explaining herself

'We should do a test. I'll go buy one' and he did

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bringing himself back into the present he glanced at the clock on the bedside table and said 'Two minutes is up'

She sighed and said 'You go'

'You sure you want me to?'

She nodded and he left the bed and entered the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	20. Chapter Twenty

AN: I hope you enjoy this, the next part. Still a few more chapters to follow.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twenty

He came back over to the bed and sat down heavily beside her. His expression serious. She looked at him biting her bottom lip nervously.

Carter sighed deeply and said 'It's positive'

Still biting her lip she looked away unable to look him in the eye at that particular moment. One which should have been one of the most happiest moments of their lives together.

He put his hand on her arm; he didn't know what to say to her. He never thought that it would have happened like this. He hoped that they could have one day talked about it and if and when Abby was ready, for it to happen in planned circumstances.

After an incredibly long silence he said 'Abby' his voice came trembling from emotion. 'I want us to have a baby, this baby, but I know, I know you're not sure. I want you to be sure. I don't want to force you to do something, how will we last if I expect something like that from you. But I have to say this to explain how I feel, what I want, what I need'

'I need some time' she mumbled feeling extremely emotional all of a sudden 'We've got a few weeks, so I can think. It's happened so fast, I have to be sure'

Finally she met his gaze the tears glistening in his eyes, which mirrored hers, and they moved towards each other, embracing, each drawing strength from the other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later Abby definitely knew she was pregnant you name it she had the symptom. The strangest one being the aversion to blood, seeing it was okay from a distance but every time she was in a trauma which involved a lot of blood and internal body parts she felt this intense wave of nausea. So far she had coped by swallowing hard and exiting the room at the earliest opportunity where she made for the bathroom successfully. Not that that was the only thing that made her sick however, but it was the thing that made her vomit the most. 

They hadn't told anyone, Abby knew Carter wanted to at least tell his family, but she hadn't decided, it had only been a week or so. So they avoided talking about it, which under the circumstances was difficult to ignore as she spent a lot of time in the bathroom, or nibbling pieces of dry toast or ginger whilst Carter was eating a proper meal.

Their colleagues at work had noticed a difference in them too, they both seemed serious all the time, wanting to get on with their jobs, not wanting to socialise or have a laugh, but at the same time they didn't appear to have fallen out with one another either. Everybody decided the whole thing was very strange.

They were not the only ones to think that things were suddenly very strange. Maggie had spoken to her daughter a couple of times and had come to the decision that something was not right, not right at all. So she made a decision, talked with Eric and then carried out her plan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A couple of weeks later

'Carter' said Randi loudly sticking her head inside trauma two.

'What?' he shouted back

'Your mother in law is outside'

'What?' he repeated

'Maggie' she added

'Oh' he said to Randi then to Caroline he said 'Charge to 300'

Randi stood there for a few moments and they got the patient back.

'So what you want me to do with her?' she asked

'What? With who?' said Carter who had lost the gist of the conversation with Randi by then.

'Maggie' she repeated

'Sit her in the lounge and go find Abby, she's here somewhere'

'Right, great' said Randi to herself leaving the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Randi finally caught up with Abby in suture and said 'I've been looking all over for you'

'Obviously not in the bathroom' thought Abby to herself

'Your mothers here' Randi continued 'Carter said to leave her in the lounge'

'Thank you'

'Were you expecting her to visit?'

'No but then she's unpredictable'

'What do you want me to tell her?'

'That I'll be out to see her as soon as I can. My shift ended an hour ago anyway'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby and Maggie walked along by the river.

'You said you wanted to talk' Abby said to her mother

'Mmmm I do, to you' Maggie said

'You couldn't call first?'

'I thought that you'd discourage me from coming to visit if I told you'

'How's Eric?'

'He's doing okay. If he wasn't I wouldn't have left him. I've given him the responsibility of caring for Dumpy while I'm away'

'So, why are you here?'

'To see my daughter'

They came across an empty bench, Abby feeling tired and drained indicated to Maggie that they sit for a bit, where they looked out across the water.

'Why do you want to see me?'

'I was worried, you seem different and I don't know why. How's John?'

'John's good' Abby answered smiling

'I'm glad you two finally worked things out' she told Abby

'You didn't come her to say that though'

'No I came to find out what's wrong with you. You might think I don't notice when something's bothering you and that I don't care. But you're wrong, so very wrong Abby'

Abby sighed; Maggie knew her better than she realised.

'So are you going to tell me?' Maggie said prompting her daughter a little.

Abby studied Maggie then came straight out and said 'I'm pregnant'

'Abby really? This is great'

'Is it?'

'You know it is'

'I need to be sure'

'Sure about what. You're be a great Mom, there's nothing to worry about. You're not still worried about the disease are you? The chance is not that big much smaller than the joy and happiness you'll get by having a child, by becoming a mother. You'll do a wonderful job I know you will'

Abby sighed 'You're so sure I'll be great'

'I'm you're Mother I know these things, even if you don't. Have you talked to John? Does he know about the baby?'

'Yes to both'

'And?'

'He says he doesn't want to force me into a decision. He really wants to be a Dad though'

'Of course he does honey and you won't be on your own, he'll be there with you. Sharing all the happy and wonderful times that you'll have together. I know that Abby. Look how far you've both come individually and as a couple. Come on let me buy you a coffee'

'Coffee makes me sick'

'Oh well tea, juice, soda then'

Abby shook her head to each suggestion and said 'A bottle of water would be good' 

And off they went.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby stood at the bus station with Maggie.

'You going to go straight home again? You only just got here' Abby said 'You could stay for a few days, there's plenty of room'

'I've done what I came here for besides I don't want to leave Eric too long. It's the first time I've left him properly since he came back. Think about what we talked about Abby, promise me'

Abby nodded 'I will. I love you'

Maggie drew Abby into her arms and held her tight. As she boarded the bus she turned and waved and said 'I love you Abby say hi to John from me'

Abby stood there rooted to the spot watching the bus disappear from sight.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang and the machine picked up the call the caller waited and after the beep said 'John, it's Abby I'm going to a meeting, I'll be late. Oh and I saw Maggie, we talked but she's left already'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One by one someone stood by the podium telling his or her story. Although Abby looked as though she was hanging on to every word she heard not one.

People came in, people left but she still sat there. Thinking. Thinking about what was happening inside of her, the new life growing there. Thinking about Carter, about what Maggie had said and about what she, Abby had said to Mrs Sherrill several weeks previously. Wondering what Mrs Sherrill was doing now, was she still at home with her mother or perhaps she was someplace else with Hartley.

Abby's head throbbed with it all trying to find the solution, but her heart already knew the answer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Everything was quiet as she let herself in; she walked to the bedroom, tip toeing across the floor. Silently undressing and slipping into bed next to Carter. Sensing that he was no longer alone he moved mumbling something unintelligible and pulling her close, still sleeping while she, stayed awake for a very long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	21. Chapter Twenty One

AN: Thanks for your comments, it's good to hear from you all.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twenty-one

Two days later

Abby stood in trauma one feeling very ill, she swallowed hard hoping that that would help. She struggled to concentrate on the tasks she was performing when suddenly blood spurted upwards from the patient, she swallowed hard again knowing that she had to get out of there, now. 

After what seemed an age Luka said 'Time of death 14:01' 

Abby inwardly sighed and pulled off protective gown and gloves before hurrying outside, not looking where she was going. In her haste to get to the bathroom she collided with Carter. As she did so the one thing she was trying to avoid happening, happened as her lunch came back, all over her husband.

He looked at her worried and put one arm out to steady her. She looked he decided sick, of course he knew why, but still at this particular moment she looked awful. As he watched her he assessed her condition.

'You done?' he asked 

Gingerly she shook her head and he reached out and took a basin from a passing Malik and held it out to her. Where she stood trying to take deep breaths, but was unable to keep the rest of her lunch down.

'More scrubs?' asked Malik

'Yeah, two pairs, another basin and get housekeeping to clear up the floor'

'Abby if you're sick you should go home' said Luka having also exited trauma, with a couple of med students at his heels.

Abby remained silent.

'Are you going to take her home?' Luka asked Carter 'I'm off now but I can cover for you for a hour or so'

'Thanks' Carter replied.

Still with one hand on her arm he took her into the Lounge, which fortunately was empty. He sat her down on a chair as Malik came in with the clean scrubs, a spare basin and a couple of bags to put the soiled garments in.

'Anything else?' he asked

'No this is fine' Carter said

Malik looked at Abby who was propping her head up with her hand at the table.

'Luka's speaking with Dr Wright' Malik added as he left.

Carter nodded and stripped off his scrubs and donned the clean ones, before hunching down next to Abby.

'Are you going to put these clean scrubs on?'

She nodded ever so slightly.

'Here' he said 'Let me help' and she did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When he returned to the hospital everyone who was at admit stopped talking Carter decided that they were gossiping about him and Abby.

'She any better?' asked Luka

'Some, she went to bed' he answered 'Thanks for covering for me'

'Anytime' said Luka as they began to discuss the patients progress since Carter had left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'County' Frank barked into the phone then turning he said to Carter 'Your housekeeper'

'Hey' he said

Everyone who was at admit pretended to be exceptionally involved in a task which kept them in hearing distance to Carter. However they were somewhat disappointed as all Carter seemed to say was the word 'Good' every now and again.

Hanging up he turned to see at least a dozen pair of eyes fixed on him. Frowning he picked up the results he had originally come to admit for and left them all standing there still none the wiser.

'It's all a bit strange' said Jing-Mei 'I mean they've been acting weird for weeks, close but not close'

'They have been acting odder than usual' agreed Frank 'We had this discussion the other day when you were off'

'And the outcome was?' she asked

'We didn't reach one' Frank said

'Could be lots of things' said Malik

'I feel that I'm missing something, with them you know ' Jing-Mei said before walking over to her patient. 

'It's none of our business' said Caroline watching Carter and wondering as much as anyone else what was going on.

'That's never stopped us from speculating on our colleagues before' said Malik

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On his return home Carter found Abby in the kitchen perched on a stool eating a bowl of pasta.

'You look like you're feeling better' he commented kissing her

'Yeah, sorry about earlier'

'No problem' he replied

'John' she said as he turned to go 'We need to talk'

He did not reply as he had an 'About what' expression on his face.

'With what's happening with us' she clarified.

Carter looked at her, knowing that she had come to a decision, needing a little more time before he could face hearing what she had to say he said 'I'm going to take a shower' then with a slight grin to lighten the mood he added 'Some woman threw up on me earlier, wasn't looking where she was going, I smell real bad'

'Yeah'

'You're not suppose to agree with me'

'Sorry but you do, I'm surprised the patients didn't complain'

'No but the staff did, ten minutes okay'

'Sure' thinking to herself that he would be a lot longer than that he always was when he took a shower.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were sitting together on the sofa Abby trying to think of a good way to start off the conversation, Carter dreading what he was about to hear. 

Suddenly he couldn't stand the tension any longer and it came out in an unplanned nervous rush. 'Abby, I know you've decided. I want to tell you it's okay, I mean I know you've been feeling really sick and well today, I never really realised how sick you really felt. If it's like that everyday, I know you hide it from me, not just me everyone at work too, how sick you're feeling. I don't want you to go through this if it's not what you want. I know you're concerned about passing on the disease, that's been such a big part of your family life and always will be. I can wait, or maybe we could think about adopting if you don't want to have a baby. I want you to know, it's okay I understand, I don't want to pressure you. I love you and although I want to be a father so much, probably more than you'll ever know. I want to be with you. I need you so much'

'Have you finished?' she asked calmly.

He paused and said 'I think that's about it'

'Good, can I say something?'

He nodded mentally preparing himself for what he knew was coming.

'I've been thinking' she started 'a lot, about different things. About my childhood, my Mother, my brother, you, Susan and Daniel. I'm scared John' she confessed

'It's okay' he said 'I'll come with you if you like'

'What?' she said looking at him, surveying his face and eventually realising what he thought she was insinuating. 'Oh, well that's not what I meant'

'What?' Carter said echoing her comment, he was now totally lost and confused.

'Let's start again' said Abby

'Right' agreed Carter thinking that was a good idea.

She took his hand and placed it on her stomach 'I'm scared I'll mess up, be like my Mother I guess. You know when she came to see me she said some very..... some very good things, which I thought about. I told her about the baby' He looked surprised ' I know you wanted to tell your family and I begged you not to, it just kind of came out. I thought about what she said. I thought about a lot of things and I know deep in my heart that I could never have another abortion. Of course I want to keep the baby, I know it's silly but I think I love she or he already. I'm just so scared I'll make a hash of everything, I'm so good at that'

'No you're not' he told her 'You'll be great, I know'

She drew to courage to look at him, she couldn't believe that they were both crying again, she of course blamed her raging hormones. They sat there and he drew her into his arms where they stayed for a long time, sharing their joy together.

'I really thought' Carter said later into her hair 'that you were going to tell me....'

'Ssshh' she moved and held her finger up to his lips, before gently cradling his face in her hands 'I love you' she said 'So much' and then what began as a soft whisper of a kiss soon became much, much more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

AN: Thank you for reviewing. 

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twenty Two

Some weeks later (Fall 2005)

After being excited and telling everyone first time. This time Carter felt the opposite. A secret to be shared between himself and Abby. The past few weeks had seem to flown by for him at least. Abby was still secretly suffering from morning sickness or to be more accurate anytime of the day sickness, it didn't even appear to follow a pattern. Although now it was starting to ease a little.

Today was an important day for the Carter's as they were attending an appointment in OB for a sonogram and check up. Days of keeping it to themselves were becoming numbered especially as Abby's clothing began to get uncomfortably tight.

The whole experience was different from last time he thought. This time he was more sure of where he was going in his life and felt more content and he was with the one person he wanted to be with all along. They made their appointment before their shifts started so that they could go together. Abby was nervous, which didn't help her stomach. They eventually saw their baby on the screen before them.

'Wow' said Abby amazed, although she had seen hundreds of babies before on the screen, this was the first time one of them was hers.

'Yeah wow' echoed Carter

He was glad that the baby was in such a position that it was unable to decipher the gender of the baby. But they were both thrilled with the pictures they received. They also received a due date, April 16th 06.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Where are the Carter's?' shouted Dr Wright looking at the clock which was one minute past the hour 'They're late'

Jerry shrugged 'Don't look at me, I haven't seen either of them'

With that John Carter came rushing along the corridor and into the Lounge.

'There's one' said Haleh 

'You're late' Dr Wright said to Carter as he came up to admit

Carter glanced at the clock 'Three minutes' he answered

'Where's Abby?' he continued

'She'll be here in a minute' Carter answered

James Wright sighed and was about to comment when she indeed did arrive, rushing into the Lounge.

'You didn't travel together?' asked Jerry

Carter looked at him with a strange expression on his face 'Yes' he said

'You're seven minutes late Abby' Dr Wright told her as she joined them at the desk

'I'll stay an extra seven' she said trying to brush it off.

'And?' Dr Wright continued staring intently at her

'I'm sorry' she mumbled

'Good' he said and handed her a few charts and added 'For being late'

Carter soon met up with her in the hall out of sight of Dr Wright 'Okay?' he asked

She nodded and said 'I don't know if I can stomach this patient though' showing him one of the charts Dr Wright had given her.

'Worms, nice' he said 'Okay I'll swap it for possible wrist fracture'

'Thanks' she said as they swiftly parted company seeing Dr Wright not far away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'So anyway they were late' Jerry said to Susan 

'What's going on, you're closest to them?' asked Pratt

Susan shrugged 'Wish I knew?'

'Why don't you ask?' suggested Yosh

'I'm sure they'd tell me if they wanted me to know. I don't think it's anything much I mean last time we went out, they seemed fine with each other'

'How long ago was that?' asked Pratt

'About a week ago' She replied looking at their expectant faces she added 'Okay I'll see what I can find out'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Susan caught up with Abby in the cafeteria, Abby was slowly munching on a sandwich and drinking bottled water as Susan sat down with a hearty lunch, which put a look which Susan could only describe as queasy on Abby's face.

'Your eating liver and bacon for lunch?' she asked 'After that trauma we had earlier'

'There's not much choice; I needed something more substantial than that sandwich you chose. I'm starving'

Abby made a non-committal sound.

'What happened to you and Carter this morning, oversleep?' Susan asked fishing for information

'No' Abby replied giving nothing away

Susan tried another angle 'Why did you arrive separately?'

'We didn't not really. I just had to go to the bathroom first'

'Oh' Susan answered not getting anywhere at all. So far everyone would be disappointed.

Suddenly Abby's pager went off. 'Got to go' she said 'Enjoy your lunch' she added sarcastically 

'Thank you' mouthed Susan she looked down at her plate suddenly after speaking to Abby she didn't quite fancy it so much after all, but she ate it anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next Susan caught up with Carter, who proved to be just as evasive as his wife.

'Hi what's happening?' she asked him

'Just lost a patient' he replied

'Oh sorry. Actually I meant with you and Abby, everything okay?'

'Uh huh'

'Nothing bothering you? You've seemed kind of preoccupied recently'

'No. Why all these questions?'

'No reason' Susan said trying to sound uninterested after all.

He looked at her raising his eyebrows and she shrugged and shook her head in return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Give him ten of Haldol' shouted Dr Wright holding down the patient he was referring to. 'NOW!'

Sam stuck the needle in the patient and he calmed down considerably.

'Need a hand?' asked Carter coming over to them and then adding 'Seen Abby?'

'OB' said Sam in response to his second question

'No I've got this' said James Wright in response to his first.

'Why did she go to OB?' asked Carter trying to sound casual and not let the panic which was rising up in him show through.

'She took a patient up, a young teenage girl. She was really scared and Abby was the only person who could calm her down so she went up too'

'She can't stay up there all afternoon, we're busy' commented James Wright 'Jerry call OB and tell Abby to get her butt down here where she should be'

Carter walked up to the desk flipping through the charts.

Jerry shouted to Dr Wright 'She's left already'

'Then why isn't she here' he replied whilst tending to the patient.

Jerry shrugged and Malik answered for him 'She down by the elevator, Dr Weaver's talking with her'

'Okay' Dr Wright said resigned to the fact that if she was talking to Kerry there was not much he could do about it. He didn't know why he was singling her out more than usual, other than the fact he was somewhat irked that she had swapped one of the patients he had given her earlier today with one of her husbands patients.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Susan spent as much time as she could that afternoon watching either Abby or Carter, looking for signs. He was attentive she noticed, they spoke together at least hourly if not more and he always seemed to have one eye on her if at all possible.

She on the other hand disappeared frequently, which was odd and every time no one knew where she had gone. Once Susan had met Abby coming out of the bathroom. She looked tired and drained, more so than when she was a med student and holding down a nurse job too.

Susan thought to herself and started to add it all together. Abby saw Susan and walked towards her, it was then that Susan swore Abby had put weight on. She didn't have time to evaluate this as they were called into a trauma for an hour. However as the patient was being wheeled away Susan noticed how pale and queasy she looked and remembered that that was the second time she had looked that way today. Susan wondered why she hadn't noticed something earlier.

She knew that she had been wrapped up with her own life, Daniel and her problems, which were really pulling her down at the moment, to notice what was happening around her.

'Abby' she said 'Want a coffee? You look like to could do with one'

Abby replied 'Um not right now, I could do with some water though'

'Water?' said Susan

'Yeah' said Abby 'It's good for you'

'Since when did you start drinking water like it was coffee?'

'Oh I don't know, the summer' she replied casually

'Mmmmmm' said Susan putting two and two together and making four. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Abby and Carter left the hospital relieved that their busy day was over.

'Hey wait up' said Susan running after them

They stopped and turned to face their friend.

'What's wrong?' Abby asked 'Did I forget to do something?'

'Er no, maybe you two forgot to tell me something though'

Abby and Carter looked at each other and back at Susan.

'Well' she prompted 'I know you know, I guessed. I didn't really think about it 'til today. But everything adds up. It's not something you can keep hidden for long. So?'

Abby and Carter looked at each other, Susan studied them. Neither of them spoke but they seemed to communicate without words and Abby finally said 'Okay'

'Okay?' said Susan

'You can tell everyone I know you want to'

'Tell me officially first' she said grinning at them

They sighed and Carter said 'Susan, we'd like to tell you that Abby and I are expecting our first child'

Susan squealed with delight, and hugged her best friends tight. 'When?' she asked

'April 16th' Abby replied

'April, that makes you like sixteen weeks already'

'Uh huh'

'Oh well I know now, you sure I can tell?' she indicated the ER

They nodded 'Save us a job'

'I'm so pleased for you guys' she added as she turned back to the hospital and they holding hands headed home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

AN: Thank you all for your reviews. It's very encouraging to hear from you. 

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twenty Three

November 2005

On the occasion of the second sonogram the foetus was lying in a more favourable position and being experienced at looking at such things, they could see for themselves the gender of their unborn child. Everything was progressing normally. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December 2005

As Abby had been scheduled to work Christmas. Carter volunteered himself too. At least that way they got to spend some time together. They were luckily enough to work the same shift of six to six. It was a quiet day in the ER, it was either like that or manic on holidays but this particular holiday was slow.

Carter had planned that they celebrate when they got home, but after stepping out of the shower he discovered that his wife exhausted was already on the bed asleep. Not wanting to wake her he covered her with a comforter and went downstairs to eat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having to work Christmas rewarded them with a day off at New Years. Abby was working until ten and Carter until six. Carter remembering Christmas somehow doubted that Abby would actually manage to stay awake until midnight.

Carter wasn't sure if he was glad in his assumptions or not, but Abby although she tried very hard to say awake, fell asleep in his arms at around 11:30pm whilst they lounged on the sofa together. Feeling comfortable and snug on the sofa with her, he decided to stay there. But regretted it halfway some hours later when he realised not only was he alone but his back hurt, a lot, from lying in an awkward position.

Cautiously he got up and plodded upstairs where he discovered Abby asleep in their bed. He carefully got in beside her, partly due to the pain he was in and partly because he didn't want to wake her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 2006

January was the time that they started to think about decorating and furnishing the nursery. They spent ages discussing the all aspects before they came to a mutual discussion. They also went to a store out of town and ordered a pile of baby things, some essential and some extra bits.

Meanwhile everyone in the ER were running various pools on the sex of the baby, the weight of the baby, a name for the baby, run of course by Frank and Jerry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February 2006

The day was not going well and it had only just begun. First she had overslept. Emily the housekeeper had had to have a couple of days emergency leave for a family bereavement, otherwise she would have woken Abby up. Although if Carter knew he never would have gone to Boston to visit his father. In her haste to get ready she didn't look where she was going and stubbed her toe hard on the doorframe of the bathroom to which she cursed, strongly.

Later she was walking down the sidewalk approaching County, still not paying attention to what she was doing but focusing of her apology that she was going to have to make to Dr Wright. Who always had a shift if she was running late. When suddenly she slipped on the icy pavement and landed on her backside.

'Damn' she said, probably the mildest word she had used out loud that morning.

It surprised her that she felt like crying right there on the sidewalk. A couple of people walked by but no one offered to help her so she got onto her hands and knees and carefully stood up. 

Abby hobbled slightly into work. Fortunately for her Dr Wright was involved in trauma but Susan was there and after she took one look at Abby she frowned and walked over to greet her.

'Okay, spill' she said to looking worried and deciding that it looked as though Abby had shed a few tears.

'I know I'm late' she said

'Not that' said Susan 'You're limping'

'Oh that, I slipped on some ice outside, ended up on my butt in the street. Not a pretty site'

'Okay. We're just check everything's alright'

'Oh Susan, I'm, we're fine' she replied as Susan led her over to a bed in the curtained area. 'Susan, this isn't necessary'

'Yes, it is. Besides Carter would insist'

'He's not here'

'But I am and you're not going to start work until I decide you're fit enough to'

'She's right you'd better listen to her' Frank added

Abby looked at Frank and then at Susan and realised that Susan wasn't going to let up. 

'Okay' Abby conceded

'Good' said Susan making sure Abby was comfortable on the bed and drew the curtains.

'Abby not in?' asked James Wright when he exited trauma.

'Yes' answered Susan 'She took a tumble, so I put her in curtain one, I thought it best to check everything was okay'

'Is it?' he queried

'Looks like it, she's going to bruise though'

'Okay well put on no trauma today, will that help?'

'That will be great. I would have sent her home, but if she's here I can keep an eye on her'

'We all can' added Luka joining in the conversation. 'When's Carter due back?'

Susan shrugged and said 'Not sure, soon I think'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not that the lack of trauma patients helped the day much she seemed to be inundated with elderly patients, three of whom died. Feeling weary and sore she went home. She knew the baby was fine and probably protesting from the incident that morning, had been kicking all day.

She was somewhat surprised when she was half undressed and Carter entered the room, he wasn't due back for a least another day.

'Got everything done sooner than expected' he said coming up and pulling her into his arms and kissing her, gently at first and then with more vigour. 'What are you doing?'

'Kissing you'

'Before that'

'About to take a bath'

'Need a hand?'

'Sure' she said forgetting about the sight of her right side.

She was just about to get into the bath when he noticed the bruising that had emerged over the course of the day.

'What's that?' he asked 

'Oh' she tried to brush it off. 'I fell on my butt' seeing his worried look she continued 'It's okay Susan wouldn't let me do any work 'til I, we, were checked out and everything was declared okay. You would have been proud of Susan she was very insistent and bossy'

'Good' he replied 'You sure everything's okay?'

She nodded and said 'I feel a bit sore, maybe you could give me a massage'

'Now that sounds like a very good idea'

And after the bath, her bath as he figured there wasn't much room for him that's just what they did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Saturday April 1st 2006

'Blasted Braxton Hicks' she thought rolling out of bed and waddling to the bathroom, after a very restless and unsettled night so much so Carter had taken himself off to another room to get some sleep.

She met with Carter in the hall where he was just preparing to leave for work.

'Hey' he said 'Try and take it easy, it's your day off, you're supposed to rest. Especially as you didn't sleep well'

'What exactly do you mean?' she asked pretending she didn't know what he was talking about. Thinking about the past few weeks where she had rather over done it at work and had passed out and felt dizzy a couple of times, plus one or two other minor things.

'You know exactly what I mean, like last week when I came home and you were hanging curtains'

'Oh, that'

'And then...'

'Okay' she cut in 'I promise I won't go climbing'

'Good' he said as he kissed her goodbye.

She got dressed leisurely and had breakfast, then spent part of the morning pottering around the house, becoming increasingly bored with each passing minute. Suddenly the telephone rang.

After speaking to the proprietor of a baby boutique out Crystal Lake way, where they had been waiting for some a few last minute items that they deemed necessary. She decided to go out there and collect them, it was a fine day, a good day for a drive. She couldn't spend the rest of the day cooped up in the house and it was not in any way climbing ladders.

As a safety measure she left a note for the housekeeper, telling her she would be out most of the day, who was at that moment out and then she set off in her car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some time later as she entered the store she was surprised, rooted to the spot as what she could only describe as a contraction ricocheted through her body.

'Great' she thought 'Absolutely great, keep calm Abby. It's just one contraction. Just one sharp one anyway. Maybe they weren't Braxton Hicks that I've been having since yesterday after all'

'You okay?' asked the proprietor

'Yeah I... um, I'm'

'Why don't you sit down for a moment' she said showing Abby to a chair

'Thank you' Abby replied sitting down heavily.

'Are you sure you're okay?' the lady asked

Abby nodded, hoping that she was 'I had a call this morning. The items I ordered had arrived'

'Your name?'

'Carter' she said thinking that it still sounded a bit odd, calling herself Carter.

'Oh yes I remember'

'Good' thought Abby, she really needed to get home.

The proprietor and her sales assistant loaded the car up for Abby. Who after having two more contractions realised that this might actually be the real thing. She felt uncharacteristically tearful about the situation, especially as she was not in Chicago. She held onto the shop counter and tried to control her breathing.

'I don't know if you should be driving back to Chicago like that' commented the shop assistant

Abby smiled but it was more of a grimace.

'Really' the assistant added 'I mean it'

Abby didn't have the inclination to argue as she was determined not to cry in front of these people she didn't know. But she knew the woman was right, she was not going to be able to drive back to Chicago. John was going to be really mad, she just knew.

'When's your baby due?' asked the shop assistant

'16th'

'This month?'

Abby nodded and sighed resigned to the fact that she was not at this moment going home. The tears brimming in her eyes.

'Your car will be fine parked here. We're not too busy so I'll get Jenny to drive you to the nearest hospital, its a few miles the other side of Crystal Lake. Okay? That's the nearest one from here' the shop owner gently told Abby.

By the time Abby had been booked into the ER two hours had passed. She was somewhat surprised to be admitted to OB half an hour later. But then this hospital was nothing like County. Which started her thinking about Carter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang 'County' said Frank 'He's in trauma, message? Yeah, okay. Got that' and he stuck the post-it note on to a computer screen. A note for Carter and a phone number for him to call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She lay on the bed, alone in the room they had allotted her. It had started raining, she noted, hard. She looked at the clock; she had been here in this room for over two hours with no word from Carter. She started wondering what had happened to him when another contraction hit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank forgot about the urgent message. The note fluttered to the ground, in the past two hours it had been moved all over the outside of the screen to suit everyone who had looked there. Everyone that was except Carter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

AN: Here's the last chapter. I have tried to tie up any loose ends I had floating about, so it's a bit longer than some of the other chapters. Hope you like it, I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who has read and, each person who has read and taken the time to review too. I have found the reviews supportive and encouraging. Hopefully I will write more in the future. I have a couple of ideas buzzing around my head but I need to develop them some more first.

The Rainbow After The Storm

Chapter Twenty Four

Saturday April 1st 2006 continued

'4cm's, progressing nicely' the Doctor told Abby.

'Great' she thought then she said 'My husband hasn't called?'

'No I don't think so, but I'll go and check. We'll call him again'

'Thank you' Abby replied

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The phone rang, Susan who was alone at admit having just arrived for her shift picked it up.

'County' she said 'What?.....Where?....What's the number?.......Okay, you rang earlier?....When?....Right, got that, thank you'

As she turned round she scanned the floor and she saw a flash of yellow half-tucked away. Pulling it out she read it and shook her head before walking off to locate Carter.

He was standing at a patient's bedside with three med students when she found him.

'John' she said

Carter looked at her puzzled; she never called him John.

'What?' he asked intrigued

'I need to talk to you. Now, in private'

'Let me just finish up here'

'No' Susan interrupted 'Now. I'll take this patient in a minute'

There was something about the way Susan spoke that Carter could not ignore. So he followed her out of the room. The students looked on, they couldn't hear what Susan was saying but Dr Carter looked shocked.

'What?' he asked 'I don't understand'

'Look' said Susan 'The message was that she had been admitted to this hospital' showing him the message 'They called and left a message some hours ago. I think this must be it I found it on the floor' Here she showed him the first message.

'What was she doing out there?' he asked

'More importantly, when are you leaving so that she doesn't have to go through it alone? I'm here now, Luka's on. What are you waiting for?'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The driving conditions were poor the road was wet as Carter drove out of the city after ringing the hospital to tell them he was on his way in his haste he forgot to ask after Abby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey had taken longer than anticipated due to a MVA blocking part of the road and having to take a detour. When he at last arrived he was rather frantic. He spoke with a nurse when he reached OB, who told him that the doctor was with Abby and could he wait a few moments. Which set him pacing up and down the hall impatiently, wondering what the hell was happening.

'Dr Carter' the OB doctor said stretching out her hand for him to shake and he did hesitantly.

She proceeded to inform him of Abby's progression. Her waters had broken and she was about halfway dilated. Only agreeing to gas and air and a pain deterrent, despite the fact that she the doctor had suggested an epidural. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As he entered the room Abby had her eyes closed. Her face was damp with perspiration; her bangs stuck to her forehead. He felt bad suddenly for not being there sooner. One hand he placed on her swollen belly the other on her forehead as he bent down and kissed her lightly. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

'Hey' he said softly stroking her hair.

'Didn't think you were going to get here' she replied

'The first message got lost, I was stuck in trauma' he explained. Not feeling it was the right time to ask what she was doing out here and not back in Chicago.

She was now feeling very relieved that she wouldn't have to go through it alone.

'What?' he asked seeing tears well up in her eyes. 'Contraction?'

She shook her head 'I'm just glad you're here' she told him

'I'm not going anywhere' he told her

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She stood up, she needed to change position, her back ached too much from lying on the bed. Carter supported her with one arm, his hand on his other rubbing slow circles on the small of her back. Her forehead rested on his chest as the contractions flowed through her body. They were stronger now. He expected her to yell at him, not to touch her or come near her again but she didn't make a sound as they stood in this embrace as close as possible to each other.

He tried to visualise how it was for her alone, waiting for him to show. Then he tried to imagine how she was feeling right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday April 2nd 2006

Sometime later she did vocalise about the pain, the situation. She squeezed his hand tightly and he could only wish to go through the pain for her as she pushed down with the contraction.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter couldn't describe how he felt, the minute he became a father, words failed him. It was a strange mix of pride, elation, joy, protectiveness and love. He looked down at the infant in Abby's arms and she looked up and met his gaze and smiled. Her own emotions for once were clearly displayed on her face as he leant down and kissed her again. Again for he kissed her when their daughter finally came into the world and hour or so earlier. He felt like time had stood still for him, Abby and their daughter. His family. He watched as Abby settled the baby to feed unaware that he still wore a goofy grin on his face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was still raining the drops hammering hard against the windowpane, making the morning darker than was seasonal. Carter turned slowly to find his wife and new daughter asleep. Gently he lifted the slumbering infant from Abby's arms and rearranged the blanket around his wife.

'Well' he said speaking softly to the baby who hadn't woken 'I guess I'd better call Auntie Susan, she'll be wondering what's happening'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The shrill ring of the phone stilted the conversation at admit as Frank answered it.

'Dr Lewis' he said 'It's Carter'

Eagerly Susan took the phone from Frank as everyone who was in the vicinity came closer. Susan kept them in suspense though by asking questions and not relaying any of the answers she received.

'Well?' asked Luka

'A little girl. Amy Grace Carter weighing 6lb 4oz, born at 2:37 this morning. Mother and baby are good'

'Can we go visit?' asked Haleh

'It's a bit of a long way for a visit they'll be home in a couple of days'

'I guess'

'You owe me at least twenty bucks for the weight' said Pratt to Frank

'Yeah and I said it would be a girl' said Malik

'Me too' chorused a few others

'Hang on, hang on' said Frank as Susan walked away from them shaking her head and smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Okay?' Carter asked Abby

Abby nodded 'It all seems so strange, you know going home' she sighed

He looked at her wondering what she was really thinking. 'What?' he asked.

'You never asked' she told him.

'What?'

'What I was doing here'

'I figured it wasn't the best time to ask when I got here and after I kind of forgot'

She smiled 'My car is at that baby boutique we went to, I came out this way to collect the stuff we ordered'

'Oh' mouthed Carter

'What are we going to do about my car?'

'Don't worry I'll sort it later' he told her

'You're not mad?'

'No. It's a bit late now. Come on let's go home'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Over the next few weeks they found that finding a routine with a baby harder than they imagined. Carter felt like a zombie when he went to work and was teased incessantly by everyone in the ER. It wasn't as though they could relax at home as they had one visitor after another. Carter's parents had visited at the same time which although a little awkward the joy of having a grand daughter sort of took the focus away from Jack and Eleanor so it worked out okay. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He sat rocking Amy who wouldn't settle when; Abby came into the nursery.

'I'll feed her again' she told him as they swapped places in the rocking chair.

'I was hoping you could get some sleep' he replied

'What about you?' she asked

He just shrugged and knelt down beside them, still in awe of their daughter. Abby took her free hand and gently cupped his face lifting it up and their eyes locked, their gaze intense.

'I love you' she told him 'And because I love you, I suggest you go to bed to get some sleep. You've got a twelve-hour shift in..' she paused as she glanced up at the clock 'A shift that starts in a little over four hours'

Hesitantly he stood up and left after taking one final look at the pair of them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Oh she's so gorgeous and heavier than last week' said Susan giving Amy a cuddle then to Daniel she said 'Get down from there' then turning back to Abby she said 'Sorry he's reached the "I can climb furniture stage, aren't I clever" part of life'

'Don't worry about it' Abby told her as she lifted the toddler down from the back of the sofa.

'It's my fault I should have been more organised and brought some of his toys over' Susan said

'So' said Abby 'How's everything? We haven't talked properly for weeks'

'With what?' Susan asked

'Chuck' clarified Abby

'Oh. Well he's met someone; they're really good together. He asked me if I minded if they got married'

'Do you?'

'Hell no'

'What about you?'

'What?'

'A man for you' Abby asked

'When am I supposed to fit that it? It's okay really at the moment the only man I need is Daniel. Maybe when he's a year or two older, I'll feel ready to date, but I've got enough on my plate right now'

'I wouldn't give up altogether. You know we'll baby sit, you can bring him over to stay the night'

'Thank you but...'

'Just think about it okay?'

'Sure' said Susan smiling at her friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had just sat down to dinner one night when the doorbell chimed.

'Emily's night off' Abby said wearily standing up.

'Sit' Carter said 'I'll get it'

Although Abby could hear muffled talking in the hall she didn't know whom Carter was talking with.

He came back into the room shutting the door behind him. Seeing his expression she stood up and crossed the room to meet him.

'What? What's wrong? Who is it?' she asked searching his face for clues. He gave none, but placed his hands on her shoulders and sat her back down on an empty chair, before kneeling down beside her.

'It's Maggie....' he said and she smiled, then he continued 'And .....Eric'

She looked down at him surprised; it had been about eighteen months since she had last her brother. Although she had had brief conversations with him via the telephone since then.

'He wants to talk to you, alone. You happy with that? You don't have to, I can stay too if you want' he told her

She bit her lip, still looking at him. 'No' she shut her eyes for a second, then opened them and said 'I have to talk with him alone. You'll be in the next room right?'

He nodded clasping her hands in his. 'Okay'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They sat opposite each other, tension filled the air. He looked at the floor; she on the other hand studied him.

Looking up at her Eric finally said 'I'm sorry Abby, for what happened. I wasn't myself, it was the disease. I thought I could handle it by myself, without any help from anyone. But I was wrong. I'm better. Well better than I was, trying to take my meds.....It's difficult. I love you Abby, I know I said it before when I screwed up last time, but I mean it now and I meant it then'

'I know' she said 'It's okay. I don't know if I'm ready to...that we'll be close like before...it's going to take time'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carter made small talk with Maggie who wanted to know all about her first grandchild. When they could hear the baby starting to cry over the monitor, Carter beckoned Maggie to follow him to the nursery where he changed Amy's diaper and Maggie had her first cuddle with her Granddaughter.

Still with the baby in her arms Maggie and Carter went to see what was happening with Eric and Abby, they stood in the doorway of the room and watched as Abby and Eric shared a hug. When the baby let out a small wail they broke apart and Eric went to meet his niece.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few weeks later

He stood watching them from the doorway.

'Dr Wright is yelling all over for you' he said

'He'll just have to yell, feeding Amy is much more important. Do you think she'll settle soon in day care upstairs?'

'It's only been a couple of days Abby and we could always get a nanny' he answered walking over and sitting close to her as was possible, gently stroking his daughters feet.

'I know I never thought I'd worry this much. That I'd love her like this. She's so beautiful it takes my breath away'

'Just like you'

She looked up and him with a 'Yeah right' expression on her face.

'Really' he told her

'Haven't you got like work to do?' she asked

'And miss being with my two favourite girls?'

She smiled 'You know the next time we have a baby it should be a boy so I can tell you how much he looks like his dad'

'Next time? You struggled with the idea of one'

'Well Amy's changed my mind'

He grinned at her 'Who would have thought it?' He said then after a pause added 'You're not pregnant? I mean that's not what you're trying to tell me?'

'John we haven't...'

'Oh no' he said thinking about it 'I can't remember the last time in fact'

'I can, I was big and fat and..'

'Oh yeah I remember now' he replied 'This parenthood thing puts a new side to tiredness, which I never envisioned. It's done something to my brain'

'No, you were always like that'

'Ha Ha' he retorted.

'You'd better look snappy' said Susan entering the lounge 'Multiple GSW' then to Abby she said 'James Wright thinks you haven't showed'

'Oh' said Carter and Abby together

'Well?' asked Susan

'One minute' Carter told Susan as she left

'You'd better go' Abby told him

He leant down and kissed Amy's head and then Abby full on the mouth before whispering 'I love you' and he left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometime later Abby exited the elevator.

'Dr Carter?' said a vaguely familiar woman who was standing there holding a baby a few weeks older them Amy. 'Mrs Sherrill, do you remember me?'

'Yes' said Abby beginning to recollect.

'Except now I'm Mrs McCullough, I married Hartley. Mother still lives with us, she was happy when she got over the shock.'

'And this is?' Abby asked referring to the baby

'George. I came here to. I just wanted to thank you for helping me see things clearly I wouldn't be without George for the world'

'ABBY!' yelled James Wright 'Trauma one now'

'I've got to go, he's beautiful' she said as she left and hurried down the hall. Thinking of how her friends and family had helped her, Abby, to see things clearly, to take a chance on life. Her life here as a doctor, something she almost given up hope of becoming. But especially at home with her family, John and Amy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the ER hummed with it's usual amount of daily activity. While outside the cloudburst, which had poured from the sky, stopped as suddenly as it had started, the clouds parted allowing the sun through and a rainbow filled the sky. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End 


End file.
